The United Arab Emirates has spread a "climate of fear" among Qataris living there during a year-long blockade, splitting families and causing "substantial pain," the UN's top court heard recently.
As the bitter Gulf crisis moves to the world tribunals, Doha is appealing to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to order emergency measures to lift restrictions imposed on Qataris in June 2017 by Abu Dhabi.
"Many Qataris still resident in the UAE live in perpetual fear, they live in the shadow of the UAE's expulsion order," leading British barrister Lord Peter Goldsmith, acting for Doha, told the court.
On June 7, 2017, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and other allies severed ties with Qatar, accusing it of backing terrorism, and imposed punitive measures.
These included banning Qatar Airways from their airspace and closing the country's only land border with Saudi Arabia.
The Gulf States also ordered Qataris to leave within 14 days as well as calling home their own citizens.
