今日吃瓜

A FIFA Qatar World Cup ambassador has been slammed after describing homosexuality as 鈥渄amage in the mind鈥�.

Former Qatar international footballer Khalid Salman is Qatar鈥檚 2022 World Cup ambassador and made several homophobic comments during an interview with German broadcaster ZDF.

Trigger Warning: This story discusses聽homophobic聽comments, which might be distressing to some readers. For 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or .

When asked about his thoughts on homosexuality being illegal in Qatar, Salman responded, 鈥淭hey have to accept our rules here. [Homosexuality] is haram. You know what haram 尘别补苍蝉?鈥�

Salman described himself as 鈥渘ot a strict Muslim鈥�, but continued to defend anti-gay statements. He claimed that being gay was haram 鈥渂ecause it is damage in the mind.鈥�

The interview clip was posted to on Tuesday, where Salman was also seen stating that visitors to the country would be accepted but would have to 鈥渁ccept our rules.鈥�

Homophobic Laws In Qatar

According to LGBTIQ+ rights advocacy organisation Human Dignity Trust, same-sex sexual activity between men and between women is criminalised in Qatar. The country also interprets Sharia law where 鈥渋t is technically possible for men who engage in same-sex intimacy to be sentenced to death”, though there has not been much evidence of the law being enforced in recent years.

Human Rights Watch LGBT Rights Senior Researcher Rasha Younes condemned Salman鈥檚 comments, calling them 鈥渉armful and unacceptable.鈥�

Younes decried the failure of the Qatari government to challenge this 鈥渇alse information鈥� which has had a 鈥渟ignificant impact on the lives of LGBTQI residents of , ranging from fuelling discrimination and violence against them to justifying subjecting them to state-sponsored conversion practices.鈥�

Germany鈥檚 interior minister spoke to on Tuesday, calling the comments 聽鈥渢errible鈥�.

鈥淭hat is the reason why we are working on things in Qatar hopefully improving鈥�, she said.

LGBTQI Face Harassment, Arrests

There have been reports of LGBTQI people being arrested and mistreated by Qatar officials as recently as last month. According to the Human Rights Watch group, there were six cases of severe and repeated beatings and five cases of sexual harassment by officials in Qatar between 2019 and 2022.

鈥淎ll were detained without charge, in one case for two months in solitary confinement, without access to legal counsel. None received any record of having been detained. These acts could constitute arbitrary detention under international human rights law鈥�, the report read.

This report comes less than four weeks out before the country hosts the 2022 World Cup.

In March this year, which targeted members of the LGBTQI community. The list of demands included guaranteeing the safety and right of entry to LGBTQI-identifying people into the country.

Around 1.2 million international visitors are expected in Qatar for the World Cup. There have been concerns raised about Qatar’s anti-LGBTQI laws and human rights record including treatment of migrant workers.