‘Systematic And Structural’ Abuse Of Security Guards Continues In Qatar

Systematic abuse of World Cup Security guards continues in Qatar. They are working in conditions amounting to forced labour. The security guards, all migrant workers, work 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
Thousands of migrant workers from Africa and Asia work as security guards at offices, factories and construction sites in Qatar. Security guards are also working on projects linked to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, according to a report by Amnesty International.
The international non-governmental organization published a 74-page report on this matter. The human rights organization documented the experiences of 34 current or former employees of eight private security companies in Qatar. It found that at least three of the companies provided security for recent FIFA tournaments, including the Club World Cup and the FIFA Arab Cup.

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Migrant workers abuse

The security guards said that they work 12 hours a day, seven days a week. They often work for months or even years without a day off. Many workers said their employers refused to respect the weekly rest day required by Qatari law. The employers punished the workers who took a day off with arbitrary wage deductions. One Bangladeshi guard said that he did not get a day off for three years. The employers also cut wages if security guards take a toilet break.
Qatari law and regulations limit weekly working hours to a 60-hour maximum, including overtime. The law also gives one paid rest day each week to employees. Despite this, most of the security guards worked 12 hours a day without a day off, meaning many worked 84 hours a week.
The human rights organization said, “Our research suggests that abuses in the private security sector remain systematic and structural. With the World Cup just months away, FIFA must focus on doing more to prevent abuses.”