Qatar's emir denounces his country's criticism for their 'fabrications and double standards'

October 25 - Qatar's leader has taken the unusual step of publicly adding his voice to those of World Cup organizers to decry the steady stream of criticism leveled at the host nation in the build-up to next month's tournament .

Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said his country had been subjected to "an unprecedented campaign" and criticized international scrutiny of the Gulf state's treatment of foreign workers as well as rights LGBTQ and women.

"Since winning the honor of hosting the World Cup, Qatar has been subjected to an unprecedented campaign that no host country has faced," the Emir said.

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“We initially dealt with the issue in good faith, and even considered some criticisms to be positive and useful, helping us to develop aspects that need to be developed,” he told the Legislative Council of the Qatar.

"But it soon became clear to us that the campaign included fabrications and double standards so fierce that they unfortunately left many questioning the real reasons and motivations behind the campaign."

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Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are among the organizations that have shone the spotlight on Qatar's human rights record, while many participating countries have themselves raised concerns.

At matches in Qatar, several captains of European teams plan to wear armbands promoting inclusion and opposing discrimination.

Several French cities, including Paris, have announced they will be boycotting the World Cup and not setting up the usual fan zones for people to watch away games on giant screens - even though the France is the defending champion. Berlin is taking similar steps.

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