State Security enquiry and investigation report – reason for the abduction of Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE. We have information that Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE has relations with Khalifa Haftar. Our investigations revealed the following:

• Our investigations revealed that the person named above resided in France and worked as a businessman, that he had solid relations in France and other important relations in Algeria and Mali, that he has a general management consultancy company and has advised large foreign companies. The person named above is also a member of AID ORIFAN and one of the managers of COFOR, which specialises in building and construction in several countries, including Algeria, and is based in Luxembourg.
• Our investigations also confirm that the aforementioned is in contact with the aforementioned BOUAICHI, a military Major, working as Khalifa’s Chief of Staff. The aforementioned wishes to provide information leading to Qatar’s withdrawal from the organisation of the 2022 World Cup, and to visit the foreign State to provide intelligence officers with the information at his disposal.
• Through our secret technical operations, we have confirmation that the aforementioned sent to the aforementioned BOUAICHI a letter from the Qatar Investment Authority, dated 01/05/2016, stamped confidential, entitled (Draft Rules of Procedure of the Board of Directors and Staff Regulations of the Qatar Investment Authority), a letter entitled (Draft Decision of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Investment Authority of 2016 adopting the Rules of Procedure of the Board), and a letter entitled (Staff Regulations of the Qatar Investment Authority).
• It was also noted through the investigations that the aforementioned provided the aforementioned Ali Ben Samikh with copies of certain information sent to us by the latter.

Note: Falsified document, leaked by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Act 5 of 2022.

Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE was abducted near his home by individuals claiming to be Qatari law enforcement officers. He was then placed by force in an unmarked vehicle, hooded and handcuffed, and driven to an unknown location. There, he was forced to undress for a humiliating search before being locked in a cramped cell measuring 2 m², with no windows or sanitary facilities, where he was kept in total isolation for hours. The constant light and the agonising screams coming from outside prevented him from sleeping. Taken to the interrogation room, he is not even questioned, but stands, blindfolded, facing a padded wall for three days, until he faints. He is then subjected to blood samples and injections, without explanation or assistance, in conditions that amount to confinement and torture physical and psychological.

The search report of 13 January 2020 is an extremely disgraceful document, particularly shocking when you consider that it served as the basis for a death sentence. This document, handwritten on a single sheet of white A4 paper, with no header, stamp or reference number, bears none of the signs of authenticity or administrative legitimacy expected for an act of this seriousness. How could such a text, which looks more like a hastily scribbled note than an official record, be accepted in a judicial procedure leading to such a barbaric sentence?

Its flagrant lack of rigour and formalism casts a worrying pall over the credibility of the entire Qatari judicial system. The fact that this document, devoid of any traceability or verifiability, was taken seriously to seal a person’s fate demonstrates a total disregard for the fundamental principles of justice and fairness. It is not only unworthy of a judicial process, but also damning for any system that claims to respect human rights. Moreover, Mr Benabderrahmane’s fingerprints were added after the event, once again constituting forgery, since he never put his fingerprint on the document.

Note: Falsified document, leaked by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Act 5 of 2022, forged and falsified signature of Tayeb Benabderrahmane.

Mrs Benabderrahmane has been forced to travel to Algeria to retrieve her husband’s personal and professional archives, while her daughter has been forced to stay in Qatar.

Mrs Benabderrahmane returns to Doha. When she gets off the plane, she hands the red suitcase to Abu Mohamed.

In the secret jails adjacent to the Qatari Ministry of the Interior, from 17 to 31 January 2020, intelligence agents forced Mr Tayeb Benabderrahmane to sign several false affidavits, including declarations of corruption involving personalities such as Me Rachida Dati and Yamina Benguigui, accusing them of links with transactions conducted with Dr Ali Bin Samikh Al Marri.

In the days following Mrs Benabderrahmane’s return from Algeria, the interrogations, interspersed with sessions of physical and psychological torture, intensified, taking place at an even faster pace.

Note: Forged document, leaked by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Act 5 of 2022.

Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE was transferred to Salwa Road prison where he was placed in solitary confinement. Interrogations continue in an isolated room in the prison. If Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE fails to respond satisfactorily, the penalty is now sleep deprivation and the obligation to remain sitting on a chair without moving for around ten hours.

Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE was brought before the Deputy Public Prosecutor. He was denied the right to be assisted by a lawyer or to benefit from the services of an interpreter. He was told that he was suspected of « intelligence with a foreign power » and that he was subject to a 4-day detention order.

Remark: Forged document, leaked by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Act 5 of 2022, forged and forged signature of Tayeb Benabderrahmane.

Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE is presented to the Deputy Public Prosecutor without a lawyer and without an interpreter in violation of the Qatari Code of Criminal Procedure. His detention order was renewed for 4 days.

Remark: Forged document, leaked by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Act 5 of 2022, forged and forged signature of Tayeb Benabderrahmane.

Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE is brought before a magistrate at the misdemeanours court. Without a lawyer or interpreter, he is unable to defend himself or explain himself, but Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE contests the charges. The magistrate orders his continued detention for 30 days.

Note: Falsified document, leaked by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Act 5 of 2022.

La justice suisse a annoncé jeudi avoir inculpé Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, patron du groupe de télévision beIN Media et du Paris SG, et l’ancien N.2 de la Fifa Jérôme Valcke, dans une affaire de corruption liée à l’attribution de droits TV de la Coupe du Monde.

The Swiss judiciary announced on Thursday that it had charged Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, boss of the beIN Media television group and Paris SG, and former Fifa No.2 Jérôme Valcke, in a corruption case linked to the awarding of World Cup TV rights. In a press release, the Swiss Attorney General’s Office (MPC) said it had charged the two men « in connection with the awarding of media rights to various Fifa World Cups and Confederations Cups ».

Football: Swiss courts charge PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi in corruption case:Link to the article

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/feb/20/swiss-prosecutors-charge-psg-president-nasser-al-khelaifi-in-fifa-bribery-case

Official recognition by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the situation of kidnapping and sequestration of Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE. So two months after his arrest, the DGSI intelligence services and French diplomacy were informed. However, despite this information, the French services did not react, either at the time or during Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s long ordeal. No steps were taken to enquire about his situation and provide him with assistance, not even to check the existence of any procedure with the Qatari authorities. How can we explain this passivity and failure to assist a French national detained  »  without charge  » according to the minutes of 10 March 2020?

Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE was taken to the car park of the Misdemeanours Court, but was not presented to a magistrate. After spending the day in the car of secret service agents, he was taken back to his cell.

Renewal of Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s pre-trial detention without his knowledge for 30 days.

Remark: Falsified document, leaked by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Act 5 of 2022.

Mrs Benabderrahmane fled Qatar with her two children, abandoning all the family assets in Doha: house, furniture, car, children’s school fees and almost all the personal belongings. Ms Yamina Benguigui and Ms Rachida Dati then instructed her to retain the services of Olivier Pardo as her lawyer.

https://www.qatarday.com/rachida-dati-the-pen-in-the-secret-service-of-qatar

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is charging for the first time FIFA officials with receiving bribes to vote in favour of Qatar for the award of the World Cup in 2022.Brooklyn Federal Prosecutor Richard Donoghe is charging three new individuals and one company by issuing an indictment exposing a complex network of shell companies.

Football: accusations of bribes for the award of the World Cup to Russia and Qatar: : Link to the article

Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE was questioned by a man introducing himself as the Deputy Director of Intelligence. The man proposed a deal whereby Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE would hand over documents in his possession, through his wife, in exchange for the documents. Benabderrahmane hands over documents in his possession, through his wife, in exchange for his release. He was told that a lawyer would visit him to formalise the agreement.

Note: E-mails sent by the OPLUS firm to Mr Benabderrahmane’s new lawyer, three years after his return to France in 2023, following his complaint lodged with the Bar Association against Me Olivier, who refused to communicate the details of his steps and the case documents.

By decision of the President of the Paris Bar Association dated 14 October 2022, Me Olivier Pardo was severely disowned. The exorbitant fees he had charged, amounting to €160,000, have been drastically reduced to €44,000. This decision reflects the President of the Bar’s disapproval of practices deemed unreasonable and contrary to the principles of fairness and proportionality that should guide the profession.

Renewal of Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s pre-trial detention for 14 days, without him ever having been presented or informed. This decision was taken without his knowledge.

Remark: Falsified document, leaked by an NHRC whistleblower, protected under the Witness Anonymisation Act 2022 No 5.

Mrs Benabderrahmane was informed of the proposal made to her husband. Under threat, Mr Benabderrahmane was forced to ask his wife to hand over all his personal and business records. The telephone conversation was recorded by Mrs Benabderrahmane.

Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE received a visit from a lawyer introducing himself as Sultan M. al-Abdullah. This lawyer told him that he had not been informed of the charges against him nor had he been authorised to consult the case file.

Note : E-mails sent by OPLUS to Mr Benabderrahmane’s new lawyer, three years after his return to France in 2023, following his complaint to the Ordre des avocats against Me Olivier, who refused to disclose the details of his actions and the documents in the file.

By decision of the President of the Paris Bar Association dated 14 October 2022, Me Olivier Pardo was severely reprimanded. The exorbitant fees he had charged, amounting to €160,000, were drastically reduced to €44,000. This decision reflects the President of the Bar’s disapproval of practices deemed unreasonable and contrary to the principles of fairness and proportionality that should guide the profession.

Renewal of Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s pre-trial detention for 30 days, without him ever having been presented or informed. This decision was taken without his knowledge.

Note: Falsified document, leaked by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Act 5 of 2022.

Press release from the Swiss public prosecutor’s office on the indictment in Switzerland in connection with the award of the World Cup TV rights, of beIN Media and Paris Saint-Germain chairman Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, who will be tried in September for  » corruption « 

TV rights: beIN Media and PSG boss Nasser Al-Khelaïfi to go on trial in September: Link to the article

May – June 2020

The Qatari authorities are exercising constant and brutal blackmail on Ms Benabderrahmane. They demand that Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s situation be kept completely secret, strictly prohibiting any communication with the French authorities.

New contacts, Me Semerdjian and Me Szpiner, took part in this blackmail. The Qatari authorities and Nasser Al-Khelaïfi also demanded the handover of sensitive documents and digital media, forcing Ms Benabderrahmane to sign confidentiality declarations. Ms Benabderrahmane and Mr Karmoussi are under strong pressure and must answer a series of questions conducted by lawyers for Qatar and Nasser Al-Khelaïfi.

Under pressure, Mrs Benabderrahmane was forced to accept these unfair conditions, in exchange for the false promise, constantly postponed, of her husband’s release.

Renewal of Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s pre-trial detention for 30 days, without him ever having been presented or informed. This decision was taken without his knowledge.

Remark:Falsified document, leaked by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Act 5 of 2022.

Letter of delivery of digital media to lawyers in Qatar.

SMS sent by M.Boudjellal Bettahar to Maitre Olivier Pardo: « Good evening  Maitre, Dr Ali has received a message from his friends (the secret services) Tayeb will be at Dr Ali AL MARRI’s in two or three days Maximum. Sincerely » , 22/06/2020 – 22h58

Boudjellal: « When he comes out God willing. Probably tomorrow or the day after tomorrow at the latest » , 23/06/2020 – 22h34
Mahdjouba: « Hello, I’m at Olivier’s » , 24/06/2020 – 11:51am
Boudjellal: « Hello. Very good. I’ll keep you posted. I’m sure there will be something today or tomorrow at the latest, as I told you. We’ve even given the names of the people who will meet Tayeb at the hotel and provide him with everything he needs. We’ll take the opportunity to talk to him. Let me know when you leave the lawyer’s office. Did Olivier give you the trick? » , 24/06/2020 – 12h02
Mahdjouba: « I’m leaving Olivier’s office: it’s done » , 24/06/2020 – 12h14

Renewal of Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s pre-trial detention for 7 days by Judge Ali Abdullah Al Jusaiman, and scheduling of his appearance before the judge on 01 July 2020. This decision was taken without his knowledge and Mr Benabderrahmane never met or spoke with the judge, Ali Abdullah Al-Jusaiman.

Remark:Falsified document, leaked by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Act 5 of 2022.

Judge Ali Abdullah Al-Jusaiman tells UN experts on 17 April 2024: « I hope you will be able to provide us with the details regarding the case you mentioned (Tayeb Benabderrahmane case), as we were not aware of it before. « 

No false document justifies Mr Benabderrahmane’s detention from 16 June to 25 June 2020.

Link to the article

M.Hicham Karmoussi signs TWO memorandums of understanding under constraint, after suffering multiple humiliations and pressures, and  renounced his rights.

Mr Hicham Karmoussi wrote an official letter to Maître Olivier Pardo:

« Dear Maitre,

I have instructed you not to hand over the signed memorandum of understanding until you have confirmed the release of Mr Tayeb Benabderrahmane.

Yours sincerely

Hicham Karmoussi ».

Mr Nasser Al-Khelaïfi’s first cousin, Abdullah Al-Khelaïfi, Director of the Qatari State Security Bureau,  orders the release of Mr. Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE after « all that has been requested to his family  » has been handed over to him.

Release order for Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE issued by the State Security Prosecutor.

After having his personal and professional archives handed over and being forced to sign protocols in Paris, Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE was released in Doha :

« I, the undersigned Maître Renaud SEMERDJIAN, hereby certify that I have access today to the Philipps USB memory sticks and that I will not dispose of them until Mr Taieb returns to Paris. « 

The detention and release of Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE in Qatar is the very example of a completely illegal procedure. His pre-trial detention was extended on 25 June 2020 without any justification or legal basis. The extrajudicial negotiations, as evidenced by text messages from Dr Ali and Boudjellal Bettahar as early as 22 June, already announced his release, well before the hearing scheduled for 1 July. On 28 June, Abdullah Al-Khelaïfi ordered his release, bypassing the judicial authorities and the official appearance hearing on 1 July before Judge Ali Al-Jusaiman. The release was then made official by the prosecution on 30 June,without the intervention of a judge who was due to rule on1 July. This clearly demonstrates that the detention and his release were the result of pressure and agreements outside any legal framework, thus invalidating any judicial legitimacy.

Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE is under house arrest in a hotel in Doha, on the orders of the Director of the State Security Bureau, without permission to leave Qatari territory. He lives under constant threat from the secret services, fearing at any moment that he could be returned to detention or meet a tragic fate, as was the case for Marc Bennett. The British consultant was found hanged in his hotel room in 2019, after being arbitrarily detained and tortured by the Qatari authorities. Despite claims of suicide by the authorities, his wife maintains that he wasmurdered by Qatari security services.

Brit found dead in Qatar « after being detained and tortured by secret police »: Link to the article

Brit found hanged in Doha hotel ‘tortured by Qatar police’ : Link to the article

Death of Marc Bennett:Link to the article

Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s protocol agreement signed under duress using the signal application. The same digital media are used in Hicham Karmoussi’s protocol.

Opening of the FIFAgate trial in Switzerland in the presence of JÉRÔME VALCKE and NASSER AL-KHELAÏFI, the end of the trial is scheduled for 28 September 2020.

Fifa: trial of Nasser Al-Khelaïfi and Jérome Valcke opens in Switzerland : Link to the article

Fifagate: 28 months in prison requested, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi to be given his fate at the end of October, beginning of November: Link to the article

Under pressure, Me Olivier Pardo sends an official letter to the firm STAS denouncing the kidnapping of Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE. Under pressure from the Benabderrahmane family, Me Olivier Pardo finally sent for the first time an official email to the firm STAS, describing the situation as « hostage-taking  » after more than275 days of sequestration. The email came after the family warned Me Olivier Pardo of their intention to separate from him :

 » My dear colleague, I am coming back to you regarding the situation of Mr Tayeb Benabderrahmane. As you know, all the conditions set by your client have been met and all the protocols have been signed and executed by our client.
Mr Benabderrahmane has undertaken on several occasions to return to France from 30 September. On the basis of this undertaking, Mr Benabderrahmane has booked a ticket to Paris for 1 October 2020. I would remind you that Mr Benabderrahmane is a French citizen and that he could not be prevented from leaving Qatar without being considered detained without right or title. Mr Benabderrahmane has already told me that if this were the case, apart from the fact that he would change his lawyer, he would use all the remedies at his disposal afin order to put an end to a situation that he considers to be that of a hostage » .

Nasser Al-Khelaïfi is acquitted in the trial in which he is being prosecuted in Switzerland.

FIFA trial: Nasser Al-Khelaïfi acquitted, fine for Jérôme Valcke : Link to the article

Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE has been allowed to return to France without any explanation being given to him and without his expropriated belongings being returned to him.

During a three-hour meeting at the OPLUS office in Paris, Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE discussed his arbitrary detention and the ill-treatment he had suffered with Mr Pardo, Yamina Benguigui and Rachida Dati. They suggested that he take a holiday to rest. Me PARDO and Ms DATI explain that they will deal with the compensation aspect, discussed with Dr Ali AL MARRI, and point out that, if he were American, he could have received hundreds of millions of euros.

https://www.qatarday.com/rachida-dati-the-pen-in-the-secret-service-of-qatar

After undergoing medical examinations for a week, Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE meets Maître Olivier PARDO to discuss the urgent steps to be taken regarding the suffering he has undergone. Mr PARDO advised against any official action, believing that it could provoke hostile reactions from Qatar, France and Algeria. Faced with Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s insistence, Mr Benjamin Mathieu, Mr Pardo’s partner, was appointed to take her testimony, which remained strictly confidential and was not to leave the firm, according to Mr Pardo’s instructions.

Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE meets at the OPLUS law firm with Maîtres Olivier Pardo and Benjamin Mathieu so that they officially denounce the memorandum of understanding signed under the constraint ,and finalise the complaint for false imprisonment, torture and arbitrary detention to the Attorney General of Qatar and the NHRC. Maître Olivier Pardo refused to take these steps and hastened to speak with Mr. Boudjellal Bettahar, who arranged a meeting for him in London on 3 December 2020 with Dr Ali Al Marri, in order to negotiate compensation for the loss suffered by Mr Benabderrahmane and to establish the terms of restitution of his expropriated property.

Me Pardo writes by return e-mail to Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE: « Dear Sir, I have received your e-mail of 28 November, which I have just read, with amazement and a great deal of pain. I dispute all the terms concerning me. I worked with all my strength to obtain your release and your repatriation to Paris. The comments you have made demonstrate a breach of trust that prevents me from intervening in any way in this case. I am holding this file at the disposal of any colleague you may wish to appoint to defend you. Yours sincerely « 

The OPLUS firm forwards Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s file to Me William BOURDON, but it is incomplete, comprising very few documents. Furthermore, neither any court documents nor email exchanges with the STAS law firm, despite being mentioned in the covering letter, are included.

A month after Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s return, on 16 December 2020, Me Bourdon lodged an official complaint for torture and confinement with Dr Ali Al Marri, Chairman of Qatar’s Human Rights Committee, which remains unanswered. He also sent an official letter to the STAS firm, denouncing the memorandum of understanding signed under duress and violence by Mr. Benabderrahmane, but the Lawyers for Qatar did not respond. The Bourdon and Fadli law firms examined the international legal aspects of the case. On 23 December, Mr Fadli warned of the complexity of the case due to Qatar’s immunity and recommended that domestic remedies be exhausted. Other steps followed, including a forensic examination and a new complaint in January 2021, which also went unanswered.

On 28 January 2021, Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE was mistakenly sent a copy of an email from Mr Alaa Saad, addressed to the Secretary General of the NHRC, Mr Nasser M. Al Sultan, with the subject line « Criminal complaint concerning torture

Criminal complaint concerning torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, unlawful abduction, arbitrary and unlawful detention and imprisonment’.

On 31 January 2021, the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) officially replied to Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s email requesting further information, including residence card number, employer details, and a copy of residence permit and passport. A file number, 769, was assigned to this complaint.

Ms BENABDERRAHMANE re-contacts the OPLUS firm to obtain the invoice for €120,000 and details of the work carried out. She points out the absence of a response despite her requests of 9 November 2020 and 21 January 2021.

Me FADLI insisted on obtaining answers, but the Qatari firm replied briefly: « As indicated, we wish to terminate this representation. » This withholding of information casts doubt on the reality of the steps taken to defend Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE.

On 8 February 2021, Mr FADLI asked OPLUS for the €120,000 invoice and details of the actions carried out, while Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE called the NHRC again and received a call from  » Mr Nasser « . On 9 February, Mr Nasser called back to ask for details of the complaint. On 12 February, OPLUS sends a timesheet without an invoice. Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE followed up with the NHRC on 15, 22 and 24 February. On 16 February, Mr FADLI renewed his request, and on 22 February, OPLUS replied without providing any details or the invoice.

Ms BENABDERRAHMANE receives a telephone call from Mr BETTAHAR of the NHRC, who requests that « Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE stops his actions and that an amicable solution must be found ». It explains that « the various requests, letters and complaints made have put the Qatari services under great pressure, and over the last three days they have held one meeting after another to find a way out of the crisis« .

https://www.africaintelligence.com/north-africa/2023/01/06/bettahar-boudjellal-the-discreet-guardian-of-qatar-s-secrets,109879232-art

Ms Benabderrahmane receives a telephone call from Mr Betthahar, who informs her that a « new settlement agreement is possible and that their 2 conditions are, firstly, to recognise that the agreement was not signed under duress and, secondly, that discussions and the drafting of a new agreement take place via the OPLUS firm ».

Ms BENABDERRAHMANE and Mr FADLI meet Mr PARDO at his chambers. Mr PARDO tells them that he has been informed of the new agreement and would like Mrs DATI also to be mandated to draft it. Me PARDO then gives Me FADLI a letter, written on behalf of Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE, seeking to relieve him of his responsibilities. Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE refused to sign this letter.

Mr BENABDERRAHMANE and Mr FADLI meet with Mr PARDO, Mr MATHIEU and Ms DATI at the OPLUS law firm to negotiate the percentage that the latter could receive from the potential amount of compensation that Qatar could grant to Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE.

https://www.qatarday.com/rachida-dati-the-pen-in-the-secret-service-of-qatar

Me PARDO calls Mr. BETTAHAR, who says he is « open to discussion, confirms the conditions mentioned with Ms BENABDERRAHMANE in their telephone discussion on 1 March 2020 and states that the Qataris want the agreement to be reached quickly ».

https://www.africaintelligence.com/north-africa/2023/01/06/bettahar-boudjellal-the-discreet-guardian-of-qatar-s-secrets,109879232-art

Ms BENABDERRAHMANE and Mr FADLI went to the OPLUS office for another telephone call with Mr BETTAHAR. When the compensation aspect of the agreement was raised, Mr BETTAHAR took exception, stating that there had « never been any question of compensating Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE », but only of returning his confiscated property to Qatar. He added that he was not competent to go beyond these issues and invited the submission by email of a draft protocol enabling the Qataris to « not lose face » 

Me PARDO sends an email to Mr BETTAHAR with a WHITE NOTE allowing both parties to maintain their position: « Dear Mr Bettahar, We are following up on our meeting. We have seen our client again and we have drawn up with him the broad outlines of a protocol that would enable each party to maintain its position without acquiescing in that of the other and above all to bring this delicate matter to a confidential close. You will find attached the elements of what could be a draft protocol. We look forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully Olivier Pardo « 

« In return, Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE would like the protocol to provide for :

– The return of the sum of money (………) and all his personal effects belonging to him seized in Qatar (including in particular: mobile phone, computers, administrative and professional documents, etc.).

– The return of the suitcase brought from Algeria by Mrs BENABDERRAHMANE the request of the Qatari services and containing professional and personal documents in paper and digital format.

– Compensation for income not received during the period 2019 and 2020 in the amount of ………

– Compensation for pain and suffering suffered by his family as a result of his period of detention, in the amount of ……. .

– Confirmation that no charges of any kind whatsoever have been brought against him or any member of his family (including ascendants and descendants) and that no proceedings will be taken against them, whether in Qatar or elsewhere in the world.

– That his safety and that of his entire family is guaranteed. »

Mr Olivier Pardo proposes to Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE that two teams of lawyers be formed with Ms Rachida Dati, Mrs Rachida Dati.

https://www.qatarday.com/rachida-dati-the-pen-in-the-secret-service-of-qatar

A working meeting at TEITGEN validates the strategy of Olivier PARDO and Rachida DATI: an offensive team led by Francis TEITGEN and a team of « negotiators » led by DATI and PARDO.

Me Francis TEITGEN sends a complaint to the Ambassador of Qatar in France, which remains unanswered.

Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE takes the State of Qatar to court in Paris.

Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE takes Mr Nasser Al-Khelaïfi to court in Paris.

He lodges a complaint with the UN Special Rapporteur against Torture and with the Qatari authorities, but these complaints go unanswered. He initiated arbitration proceedings in Washington (*Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE v. State of Qatar, ICSID Case No. ARB/22/23*) and requested diplomatic protection from the French authorities, without success. He also referred the matter to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which did not respond.

https://icsid.worldbank.org/cases/case-database/case-detail?CaseNo=ARB/22/23

Mr Luke VIDAL has sent a new complaint on behalf of Mr and Mrs BENABDERRAHMANE (CRIMINAL COMPLAINT FOR TORTURE, INHUMAN AND DEGRADING TREATMENT, ILLEGAL ABDUCTION, EQUESTRATION, ARBITRARY DETENTION AND UNLAWFUL ARREST) to the new President Mrs Maryam Al Attiyah of the Qatar National Human Rights Committee (NHRC). This complaint has remained unanswered.

Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE is summoned by the Bâtonnier’s Delegate, Me Bernard Fau, as part of an ethics investigation. He is then referred to the fees dispute service in order to force disclosure of the file documents and of Me Pardo’s detailed diligence.

Mr Tayeb Benabderrahmane lodged a complaint with the fees department of the Paris Bar Association to force Mr Olivier Pardo to detail the actions he had taken.

Under threat of a penalty, Mr Olivier Pardo for the first time sent a note confirming that Mr Tayeb Benabderrahmane’s release was conditional on the forced handover of his property.

Thanks to the documents obtained from OPLUS, which incontrovertibly establish the illegal and illicit treatment suffered by Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE, Mr Vidal and Mr Fadli inform the Ordre des avocats of the two draft criminal complaints and request that the Bâtonnier’s stamp be affixed.

Mr and Mrs Benabderrahmane filed two complaints against X with the Doyen des Juges d’instruction, for torture, arrest, sequestration, and extortion, including the documents received from Me Pardo. This was made extremely difficult due to the withholding of information to which they were subjected. On his return to France, Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE had no documents with which to build a solid case, which prevented him from lodging a complaint immediately. A strategy of rot and usury was put in place, aimed at forcing him into inaction, slowing down his steps and exhausting him, thus delaying the lodging of complaints.

Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, in a manoeuvre that speaks volumes about his contempt for French institutions, dares to invoke the incompetence of the French courts in an attempt to evade justice, preferring to take refuge behind the Qatari courts, which are far more favourable to his interests. This stratagem highlights a clear desire to escape the transparency and impartiality of an independent court, seeking to manipulate the system to his advantage. The judge rejects these arguments.

Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE contacts the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Élysée Palace again to request diplomatic protection, but receives no reply.

The ICSID in Washington approves his application and asks Qatar to be constituted as a Defendant – breach of the 1996 Franco-Qatari treaty.

https://icsid.worldbank.org/cases/case-database/case-detail?CaseNo=ARB/22/23

Luke VIDAL writes again to the Qatari law firm Sultan Al-Abdulla for information, but no reply is forthcoming.

Agence France-Presse Mondiale dispatch – ‘Three examining magistrates from the Paris court have been appointed to investigate charges of kidnapping, false imprisonment and torture against PSG boss Nasser Al-Khelaïfi.’ This news has plunged Qatar into a deep crisis. The accusations are serious, and Qatar’s response, an express procedure launched within 24 hours, leaves no doubt as to the panic that reigns. This hasty counter-fire confirms that the country is cornered and will inevitably have to account for the accusations that surround it from all sides.

Link to the article

https://www.world-today-news.com/psg-boss-allegedly-involved-in-cases-of-kidnapping-and-torture/

https://www.lepoint.fr/societe/la-justice-se-penche-sur-les-accusations-visant-nasser-al-khelaifi-27-02-2023-2510246_23.php#xtor=CS3-190

Letter from the General Counsel of the State Security Prosecutor’s Office, Mr Jassim Mahmoud Al Mahmoud, addressed to Mr Abdullah Al-Khelaïfi, requesting the provision of evidence against Mr Karmoussi and Mr Boudemagh. The letter also asks to include the report on the extraction of the seized phones and devices, as well as to hear the officer in charge of the investigation and enquiries, as well as the investigating officer.

Note: Document in breach of Qatari Criminal Procedure Code, and disclosed by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Law No. 5 of 2022.

Minutes of the hearing of anonymous witness « T1 », aged 30, conducted by prosecutor Rashed Mohamed ALHAJRI on 01 March 2023 at 08:55.

Note: Document in breach of Qatari Criminal Procedure Code, and disclosed by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Law No. 5 of 2022.

Minutes of the hearing of anonymous witness « B1 », aged 29, conducted by prosecutor Rashed Mohamed ALHAJRI on 02 March 2023 at 10:00.

Note: Document in breach of Qatari Criminal Procedure Code, and disclosed by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Law No. 5 of 2022.

Letter from the Director of State Security Investigations to the Head of the State Security Prosecutor’s Office, indicating the date on which Messrs Karmoussi and Boudemagh left the country.

Note: Document in breach of Qatari Criminal Procedure Code, and disclosed by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Law No. 5 of 2022.

Minutes of the hearing of anonymous witness « T2 », aged 34, conducted by prosecutor Rashed Mohamed ALHAJRI on 08 March 2023 at 10:00.

Note: Document in breach of Qatari Criminal Procedure Code, and disclosed by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Law No. 5 of 2022.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office accuses :

The 1st: Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE (absconding)

• Nationality: French
• Resident in : Abroad
• Personal number: 28125000419

The 2nd: Hicham KARMOUSSI (on the run)

• Nationality: Moroccan
• Residing in : Abroad
• Personal number: 27550400054

The 3rd: Zouhir BOUDEMAGH (on the run)

• Nationality: Moroccan
• Residing in : Abroad
• Passport number: 15FV08838

Having, between 2017 and 2020, within the jurisdiction of the State Security Service:

1. Participated in a criminal conspiracy to commit the offence referred to in count 2 and prepared the conspiracy in such a way as to remove their intention to renounce their established conspiracy, because they agreed and united their wills with a view to committing it.
2. Maintained intelligences with a foreign State, with the aim of damaging the economic and political position of the State of Qatar, as appears from the exhibits.

Comment:The manifestly artificial and spurious nature of these charges is obvious, especially as other individuals allegedly involved in this  » cartel « , according to the evidence put forward by the investigation, are deliberately excluded from prosecution. These individuals include Charles Mandes, Sid Rouis, Bader, and Bassem Al Bouaichi.

Note: Document violating the Qatari Code of Criminal Procedure, and transmitted by an NHRC whistleblower in accordance with Law No. 5 of 2022 on the anonymisation of witnesses.

Letter from the Advocate General of the State Security Prosecution, Mr Jassim Mahmoud Al Mahmoud, addressed to the President of the 1st Criminal Chamber, demanding that hearings be held in secret, in flagrant contradiction with the principles of justice and transparency. This demand runs counter to the Qatari Constitution, according to which justice must be dispensed publicly in the name of the people.

Note: Document in breach of Qatari Criminal Procedure Code, and disclosed by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Law No. 5 of 2022.

Undated arrest and deportation order issued by Mr Jassim Mahmoud Al Mahmoud, Public Prosecutor for State Security, to Mr Al Khelaïfi, Director of State Security. The suspicious and spurious nature of this order lies in the absence of a date, allowing it to be used at any time, particularly when the accused are said to be abroad, suggesting an intention to trap them outside the country.

Important note: Document in breach of Qatari Criminal Procedure Code, and disclosed by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Law No. 5 of 2022.of witnesses.

Minutes of the sitting of 29/03/2023 before the 1st Criminal Chamber of the Court of First Instance: These minutes concern the case of the three defendants who were absent at the hearing, their whereabouts being impossible due to the absence of a national address.

Note: Document in breach of Qatari Criminal Procedure Code, and disclosed by NHRC whistleblower, protected under Witness Anonymisation Law No. 5 of 2022.

« I would like through this letter to point out that the French media covered last February news concerning the appointment by the French judiciary of three investigating judges to investigate the allegations of the so-called Tayeb Benabderrahmane ,of French nationality, according to which he was abducted and arrested in the State of Qatar ,also claiming to have been subjected to uinhuman treatment….I wish to state that the so-called Tayeb Benabderrahmane has committed serious crimes, according to the Qatari Penal Code and that he is wanted by the Qatari judicial authorities for these crimes  »

Note: Letter revealed by BLAST media on 18 September 2024

https://www.blast-info.fr/articles/2023/info-blast-qatar-connection-la-france-savait-pour-la-sequestration-de-tayeb-benabderrahmane-Khf-lXUISv28tylgr5zvfQ

Comment:

The Qatari Prime Minister’s letter to Ms Catherine Colonna condemning Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE without trial shows a flagrant violation of the principles of justice. This statement, written in the past tense, constitutes an accusation without due process of law. Mme Colonna, Minister of Foreign Affairs, was informed of Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s situation as early as March 2020, following a note reporting his confinement without charge.

Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s lawyers subsequently multiplied pressing requests, including a judicial summons in 2021 targeting Nasser Al-Khelaïfi for sequestration and torture. Repeated requests for diplomatic protection were sent in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Despite these alerts, the Minister has not taken any concrete action. Although the Élysée Palace and certain members of parliament repeatedly relayed the seriousness of the situation and the risks incurred by Mr Tayeb Benabderrahmane, their commitment proved insufficient, leaving doubt about a diplomatic double game.

All the signs were so red for Mme Colonna: the Prime Minister’s letter suggested an imminent conviction and news reports highlighted the inhuman conditions suffered by Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE. Ms Colonna, aware of the facts and Qatar’s violations of bilateral cooperation conventions, such as the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 24 April 1963, the 2006 Bilateral Convention on Cooperation in Criminal Matters between France and Qatar, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, had no excuse for her inaction. This silence reveals a manifest negligence and a breach of its duty to protect French nationals , thereby incurring liability for non-assistance to a person in danger (Article 223-6), wilful failure to prevent an offence (Article 223-7), and violation of the rights to a fair trial (Article 6 ECHR). She could also be charged with complicity in abuse of power (Article 432-4) or negligence in office (Articles 121-3 and 432-1) for failing to act when she was aware of the risks Tayeb faced.

Minutes of the sitting of 12/04/2023 before the 1st Criminal Chamber of the Court of First Instance: These minutes concern the case of the three defendants absent at the hearing, their whereabouts being impossible due to the absence of a national address.

Note: Document in violation of the Qatari Criminal Procedure Code, and disclosed by an NHRC whistleblower, protected under Law No. 5 of 2022 on the anonymisation of witnesses.

Minutes of the sitting of 03/05/2023 before the 1st criminal chamber of the court of first instance: These minutes concern the case of the three defendants absent at the hearing, their whereabouts being impossible due to the absence of a national address.

Note: Document in violation of the Qatari Criminal Procedure Code, and disclosed by an NHRC whistleblower, protected under Law No. 5 of 2022 on the anonymisation of witnesses.

Minutes of the sitting of 17/05/2023 before the 1st Criminal Chamber of the Court of First Instance: These minutes concern the case of the three defendants absent at the hearing, their whereabouts being impossible due to the absence of a national address.

Note: Document in violation of the Qatari Criminal Procedure Code, and disclosed by an NHRC whistleblower, protected under Law No. 5 of 2022 on the anonymisation of witnesses.

This note of 19 June 2023 demonstrates once again the inaction and unwillingness of Ms Catherine Colonna, Minister of Foreign Affairs, to protect a French citizen facing flagrant violations of his fundamental rights in France and abroad. The memo reveals that the Quai d’Orsay had been asked on several occasions to provide information about Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s situation and to clarify the diplomatic immunities of the individuals involved, including Mr Nasser Al-Khelaïfi. However, the Ministry took months to respond, contributing to the obstruction of ongoing investigations.

The recommended strategy  « to put an end to the administration’s silence » in this memo is appalling: Ms Colonna and her departments simply propose to respond with an acknowledgement of receipt, while hiding behind the « principle of separation of powers  » to justify their silence. This approach amounts to shirking all responsibility and refusing to look seriously at the seriousness of the accusations of sequestration, torture and abuse of power. Furthermore, suggesting that the Qatari Prime Minister call on international judicial assistance, without even considering proactive intervention, underlines the Ministry’s complacency in this case.

By hiding behind bureaucratic formulations and more than dubious legal justifications, Mme Colonna is making herself an accomplice in an attempt to cover up the affair, deliberately ignoring the information in her possession. This attitude not only demonstrates a disregard for the situation of the French  but also exposes the wilful inaction of the Ministry which, despite its knowledge, chose to do nothing. Had Mme Colonna acted as soon as she was informed, the lawyers would have been able to take crucial steps, such as suspending the death sentence before the ICSID. This serious failure by the Minister deprived Mr Benabderrahmane of essential support, leaving him at risk from an arbitrary judicial system.

The Town Hall of the 7th arrondissement of Paris, headed by Rachida Dati, and the law offices of Me PARDO and Me SZPINER, are being searched by the Central Office for Combating Organised Crime as part of the investigation into the kidnapping and torture linked to Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, the boss of PSG.

https://www.bfmtv.com/paris/paris-des-perquisitions-a-la-mairie-du-7e-arrondissement-et-dans-deux-cabinets-d-avocats_AD-202306270775.html

The Central Office for Combating Organised Crime will be waiting for Mr Al-Khelaïfi when he arrives at Le Bourget airport on 5 July 2023. Searches will then be carried out at his Paris home and at PSG’s offices, as part of the investigation into kidnapping, arbitrary detention and torture involving Nasser Al-Khelaïfi in Qatar.

https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2023/nasser-al-khelaifis-paris-apartment-raided-in-lobbyist-imprisonment-case/

« I wish to bring to your attention that the content of the above-mentioned complaint is without legal basis and does not correspond to any real fact. The author of this complaint, Mr Benabderrahmane, was arrested and placed in provisional detention on 13/01/2020 in Qatar pursuant to decisions taken by the judicial authorities of that country. He is accused, along with others, of spying for a foreign state to the detriment of Qatar. He was subsequently released on 20/06/2020 and left Qatar on 31/10/2020. The public prosecutor issued an arrest warrant for him on 06/12/2020 so that his trial could be completed before the competent court. A judgment was handed down on 31 May 2023 by the Qatar Criminal Court sentencing the accused, Mr Benabderrahmane, to death, on account of the crimes with which he is charged and requesting the Qatar authorities to carry out this sentence. « 

At no time, however, did the Quai d’Orsay inform Mr Benabderrahmane, who therefore found out about his death sentence through the press.

Note: Letter revealed by BLAST media on 24 September 2024

https://www.blast-info.fr/articles/2023/info-blast-qatar-connection-la-france-savait-pour-la-sequestration-de-tayeb-benabderrahmane-Khf-lXUISv28tylgr5zvfQ

Comment:

The 18 July 2023 letter from the Qatari Prime Minister is yet another damning piece of evidence exposing the grave inaction of the Foreign Minister, Catherine Colonna. Despite clear and precise information provided by Qatar, including Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s arrest, his trial, and above all his death sentence on 31 May 2023, Ms Colonna never saw fit to inform either Mr Benabderrahmane or his lawyers. This deliberate concealment is much more than simple negligence: it is a clear betrayal of the principles of protection that France has a duty to provide for its nationals.

By refusing to disclose this information, the Minister has seriously hindered the defence efforts of Mr Benabderrahmane. The lawyers, left in the dark, were unable to take urgent action, such as requesting the suspension of the conviction at the ICSID (International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes). It was only after the public revelation of this conviction in September 2023 that the lawyers were able to apply to ICSID for an interim measures order. Fortunately, the arbitral tribunal issued an order suspending the execution of the death sentence, demonstrating that swift intervention can have concrete effects.

However, Ms Colonna’s dissimulation had serious consequences: for months, the lack of information paralysed the defence’s efforts, preventing the use of all possible remedies to protect Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE. If the case had not come to light in September, his situation could have become irreversible. The Minister, by refusing to pass on this vital information, gravely endangered Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE, deliberately neglecting her duty to protect French citizens abroad.

This complicit silence, when action at various levels was possible, reveals a deliberate choice to sacrifice a French citizen to preserve diplomatic interests with Qatar. Ms Colonna was guilty of a manifest violation of human rights and obstruction of justice, a fault of extreme gravity which directly implicates her in endangering Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s life.

French media outlet Blast shockingly reveals that Mr Benabderrahmane will be sentenced to death by Qatar on 31 May 2023. Faced with media pressure, Qatar was forced to react: via its Al Jazeera channel, an anonymous Qatari official confirmed the sentence. Despite these revelations, the Quai d’Orsay has so far given no reaction or support to the Benabderrahmane family.

https://www.blast-info.fr/articles/2023/info-blast-qatar-connection-la-condamnation-a-mort-du-consultant-qui-accuse-nasser-WEs1fzA5S3aoXHz1UX-Yiw

The Al Jazeera channel has been caught red-handed manipulating and lying, falsely claiming that Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE was given a fair opportunity to defend himself. The documents revealed by the Qatari whistleblower reveal a secret procedure, carried out in just 9 days, marked by falsifications and forgeries of Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE’s signature. Furthermore, the Qatari channel is in serious breach of its ethical duties, as no adversarial procedure was carried out, since Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE was never contacted by Al-Jazeera to give his version or react. This evidence unequivocally exposes a deliberate attempt to conceal the truth and mislead public opinion.

A Qatari official told AFP on Wednesday: ‘After a long year of investigation and following all the procedures and laws in force in the State of Qatar, Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE and others have been found guilty of crimes of intelligence for the benefit of a foreign state’.

The Qatari official added that Tayeb Benabderrahmane, who holds both French and Algerian nationalities, « has been granted the right to defend himself locally and internationally throughout the proceedings ».

https://www.aljazeera.net/news/2023/9/28/%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A4%D9%88%D9%84-%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D8%B7%D9%8A%D8%A8-%D8%A8%D9%86-%D8%B9%D8%A8%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%AD%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%88%D8%A2%D8%AE%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%86

https://www.blast-info.fr/articles/2023/qatar-connection-catherine-colonna-etrangere-aux-affaires-46nBZTThTYm17Va5W3Ofrw

The Arbitral Tribunal issues Procedural Order No. 3, requiring the production of court documents relating to the detention of Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE.

The Qatari authorities fail to provide the documents disclosed by the NHRC whistleblower,demonstrating once again Qatar’s violations of national laws and international conventions.

https://icsid.worldbank.org/cases/case-database/case-detail?CaseNo=ARB/22/23

The Arbitral Tribunal issues Procedural Order No. 7, requiring the production of court documents relating to the detention of Mr Tayeb BENABDERRAHMANE. 

https://icsid.worldbank.org/cases/case-database/case-detail?CaseNo=ARB/22/23

Qatar, which loudly presents itself as a trustworthy international mediator and criticizes other states for their supposed disregard for international law, here reveals its own blatant contempt for these fundamental principles. By refusing to provide documents related to the detention of Mr. Tayeb Benabderrahmane, despite procedural order No. 7, Qatari authorities once again demonstrate their indifference to both international law and their own legal obligations. This refusal is accompanied by multiple violations, not only of numerous national laws under Qatar’s penal code but also of several major international conventions:

– Violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, April 24, 1963;
– Violation of the bilateral convention on penal cooperation between France and Qatar, signed in 2006;
– Violation of the bilateral treaty on the reciprocal encouragement and protection of investments, signed in Doha on July 8, 1996;
– Violation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (2008), ratified by Emir Decree No. 17 of 2007;
– Violation of the Arab Charter on Human Rights (2009), ratified by Emir Decree No. 66 of 2013;
– Violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Qatar adhered to by Emir Decree No. 40 of 2018.

These repeated violations deeply tarnish Qatar’s credibility on the international stage, exposing the hypocrisy of a state that professes respect for international law while blatantly trampling the commitments it has made.

In September 2023, Mr. Tayeb Benabderrahmane discovered several disturbing facts through the investigative media outlet *Blast*:

– First, that he was subject to criminal prosecution in Qatar and was actively wanted by Qatari authorities;
– Secondly, that he had been sentenced to death by the Qatari Criminal Court in a judgment rendered on May 31, 2023.

At no point were Qatari authorities forthcoming in informing him of criminal proceedings against him, the holding of a trial, or even his death sentence, in clear violation of their international obligations. These omissions underscore a complete disregard for defense rights and basic judicial processes, highlighting the severity of the violations committed by Qatar.

On the investigative report dated January 1, 2020, Mr. Benabderrahmane’s address was listed as follows: Villa No. 1, Residential Complex No. 18, Street No. 7, Zone No. 66.

Since March 16, 2020, Mr. Benabderrahmane no longer had a residential address in Qatar. His wife, forced to flee with their children, left and returned the family’s rented villa on that date. Thus, he had no residence in Qatar from that day forward.

The only addresses recognized by Qatari authorities after March 2020 were:

– The Intercontinental Hotel in Doha, where he was placed under house arrest by security services following his release on July 1, 2020, in the absence of a personal residence. This house arrest continued until his final expulsion from Qatar on October 31, 2020.
– The office of Mr. Olivier Pardo, located at 74 Avenue de Wagram in Paris, designated in the settlement agreement signed on July 10, 2020, and accepted by Qatari authorities as Mr. Benabderrahmane’s legal domicile outside Qatar.

Despite the absence of any personal address in Qatar, Qatari authorities took no steps to formally notify Mr. Benabderrahmane, via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, of an impending trial or the indictment order issued on March 9, 2023.

Furthermore, Mr. Vidal alerted the French Ambassador in Qatar to the alarming situation of Mr. Benabderrahmane in December 2021, informing him of the seriousness of his situation. Despite this, the Ambassador did not undertake any steps with Qatari authorities to intervene or ensure Mr. Benabderrahmane’s protection.

More disturbingly, documents obtained by a whistleblower reveal that Qatari authorities intentionally falsified Mr. Benabderrahmane’s contact information, using a fictitious address and email: Region 30, Street 523, Site 32, Unit 0.

The address mentioned, along with the associated email, was also falsely attributed to Mr. Hicham Karmoussi, who has no official address. This deliberate manipulation rendered any official notification to Mr. Benabderrahmane impossible.

Moreover, since September 2022, Qatar, the opposing party of Mr. Benabderrahmane in the arbitration process before the Washington tribunal, has never informed him or his lawyers of the existence of an arrest warrant or ongoing trial, despite their direct confrontation before the tribunal. This blatant omission by Qatari authorities constitutes a violation of several international conventions signed by Qatar.

This barbaric death sentence, far from coincidental, follows a particular chronology demonstrating it as a reaction to the opening of a judicial investigation in France entrusted to three Parisian investigative judges on February 27, 2023.

On February 28, 2023, in response to the opening of this investigation, which notably targets Qatari authorities, the Qatari Attorney General, Mr. Jassim Mahmoud El Mahmoud, instructed the State Security Office to conduct hearings of anonymous witnesses T1, T2, and B1. These testimonies constitute the only evidence intended to prosecute Mr. Benabderrahmane.

On March 1 and March 8, 2023, two anonymous witnesses were heard to support unfounded espionage charges.

On March 9, 2023, following a nine-day investigation, Mr. Benabderrahmane was secretly referred to the Doha Criminal Court on charges that carry the death penalty.

Through the arbitration initiated against Qatar in Washington and information revealed by a Qatari whistleblower, Mr. Benabderrahmane discovered that his death sentence was based on a fabricated judicial file, consisting of coerced confessions obtained under torture and a distorted interpretation of documents and items that had been unlawfully confiscated by Qatari authorities.

The six hearings purportedly held never actually took place. The six decisions were fabricated to justify 171 days of detention at Salwa Road prison without any judicial oversight.

This falsification was exposed for the first time during the last meeting of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, held in Geneva in April 2024. During this examination of Qatar’s situation, several UN experts posed repeated, pointed questions concerning Mr. Benabderrahmane, who had been sentenced to death less than a year prior. However, no member of the Qatari delegation – including representatives from the Ministries of Justice, Interior, Foreign Affairs, and the Public Prosecutor’s Office – was aware of the case, despite the severity of the penalty.

Additionally, the Qatari representative assigned to respond to the UN experts’ questions, Judge Ali Abdulla Al-Jusaiman, Vice-President of the First Instance Court of the Supreme Judicial Council, was named in Qatari documents as one of the judges who issued one of the six decisions extending Mr. Benabderrahmane’s detention. Yet, although he supposedly held a video conference hearing with Mr. Benabderrahmane to decide on his detention, Judge Al-Jusaiman professed complete ignorance of the case, stating, “We, as the State delegation, would appreciate it if you could share the file mentioned, as we were not previously aware of it.”

This complete lack of awareness within the delegation, which represented the authorities that should have processed the case of a person detained for 307 days and sentenced to death in absentia, raised serious doubts among UN experts regarding the authenticity of the entire judicial process concerning Mr. Benabderrahmane.

An expert analysis of the six alleged detention renewals and other documents in the file revealed evident falsifications. The documents contain numerous visually identical sections, blatant irregularities and inconsistencies, as well as deletions and alterations. The six renewal documents, signed by six judges, six prosecutors, and six clerks on different dates, present serious anomalies: all were completed by the same individual, as confirmed by British, Egyptian, and French experts, as well as simple observation. This situation is materially impossible, as each session should have been validated by a different clerk. Three scenarios are conceivable: the absence of clerks, duplication of the same document, or deliberate falsification. In all cases, these documents were forged, irreparably compromising their credibility.

Moreover, the signatures of Mr. Benabderrahmane on certain documents in the file, including those later used as evidence in the sham trial that led to his death sentence, are forgeries.

As a result, a significant portion of the documents used to justify Mr. Benabderrahmane’s arbitrary detention – as well as his death sentence in absentia – were falsified by Qatari security forces to create an appearance of legality for what is, in reality, a serious state crime committed by a foreign power in full view of the French authorities.