Swiss journalists held for 13 days in Qatar, says TV channel

Swiss television channel RTS has claimed two of its sports reporters were held against their will for nearly two weeks in Qatar, without charge.

The journalist and cameraman were detained for 13 days “without receiving a clear explanation of what they were accused of," RTS said in a statement to newswire AFP.

The pair were filming a documentary on football in Qatar, the host nation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, before their arrest.

According to RTS, the two were filming “landscape shots,” when they were arrested, taken to a local police station and interrogated for several hours.

They were eventually brought before a judge in Doha where "they had to pay a fine, without receiving either a report about their offence or a receipt,” RTS said.

The camera was confiscated and the pair were freed, but were not given official authorisation to leave Qatar.

“Before leaving for the country, the Qatar embassy in Geneva had told them that they could film freely,” the channel said.

“The arbitrary conduct of the Qatari police constitutes a serious violation of press liberty," said Massimo Lorenzi, head of sports at RTS. The incident would be reported to FIFA and all responsible authorities, he said.