"This indicates that Qatar is not in a very bad position in the field of the freedom of expression" said Dr Yahia Shageer, addressing the third day of the workshop on freedom on thought and expression that organised by the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) in collaboration with Amman Centre for Human Rights Studies.
"Many developing countries came first in the classification of the freedom of expression, while some advanced countries withdrew back as per the report" said Dr Yahia. He mentionaed that the US lost 20 points in the freedom of expression since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
The first 20 countries in the freedom of expression were the Scandinavian countries. Kuwait is No. 1 in Arab countries for the freedom of expression, while Qatar and the UAE are doing good in fighting corruption. Saudi was listed at the end.
"Country’s space and population have no impact of this classification as there are certain standard for the measurements" said Dr Yahia.
"The freedom of expression and corruption has compatible relationship"
He said the Arab governamnts are taking seriously these reports and exerted enough efforts to improve their status in the coming annual reports. "Once an official from Arab counries was seeking my advice on what to do to improve his country’s status in the annul reports", he said. He said these reports have its impact on the government’s status in the international arena.
"The freedom of expression and fair trial are basic human rights" said Dr Yahyia highlighting the theme of ‘judicial system and freedom on expression and thoughts’.
The issue of insulting cartoons raised up by the participants as an example for the freedom of expression, while some of them criticized the cartoons some said the reaction of muslim was over and gave negative image to them.
