A deployment that is likely to cringe.
More than 200 gendarmes and police officers will be deployed in Qatar, during the Football World Cup, as part of a “
France-Qatar partnership
” agreement , voted on August 4 in the National Assembly.
The cooperation, relayed by our colleagues from Le
Canard Enchaîné
and Le
Point
, thus provides for the dispatch of 21 specialized operators from the GIGN, 170 anti-drone specialists, 10 demining agents, 10 dog teams and 5 to 8 experts provided by the national division for the fight against hooliganism, as specified in the report by LREM MP Amélia Lakrafi.
Qatar could also request "
additional needs
", particularly in terms of "
maritime and port surveillance, cybersecurity, flow management in the metro, equestrian teams in order service...
".
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The country does not count only on France to organize this World Cup: about fifteen external partners, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, are mentioned.
Officers will be entitled to a 'fair trial' for breaches
Deployed police forces will be able to wear their usual uniform and insignia, as well as hold their service weapon.
In addition, the agreement provides that French police and gendarmes “
benefit from guarantees relating to a fair trial
” in the event of an offense in Qatar.
The country has moreover undertaken that the death penalty, "
as well as the penalties contrary to the commitments resulting from the international conventions to which France is a party
", will in no case be applied.
Finally, Qatar will cover the transport, food and accommodation costs of the police and gendarmes, as well as "
the additional costs of remuneration of these agents
" - a bonus, therefore.
The cooperation between French and Qatari agents is not new: France has already intervened in support during the 2006 Asian Games, the world handball championships in 2015, cycling in 2016 and athletics in 2019, but also during the Arab Cup of Nations football in 2021.
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The agreement has been constantly criticized since it was signed in March 2019 by former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.
Suspected by the British media
The Guardian
of being responsible for the death of 6,500 workers on the construction sites of the World Cup, Qatar is also accused of human rights violations, in particular against homosexuals and women.
According to Le
Canard Enchaîné
, the peacekeepers selected to serve in Qatar will only be men.
The FIFA World Cup will take place from November 20 to December 18, 2022.
