DOHA: A top Qatari human rights group said on Wednesday it will employ Swiss lawyers to seek compensation for those impacted by the decision of Gulf countries to cut ties with the emirate.

Ali bin Smaikh Al-Marri, chairman of Qatar’s National Human Rights Commission, said his group would take action against Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which cut ties with Qatar this month.

“We’ll be coordinating to start legal action with those affected by these sanctions,” Marri told a news conference. “The three countries are responsible to compensate those affected,” he said, adding many Qataris qualified for compensation.“Some cases will be filed in courts in those three countries and in some courts that have international jurisdictions, like in Europe, related to compensation.”

Marri refused to say which Swiss firm would be employed, but said a statement would be released in the near future.

Many Qataris own properties and businesses in these countries. One senior official said recently that most Qataris own “two or three properties and a villa” in Saudi alone.

The Gulf crisis, the worst to hit the region in years, shows no sign of abating.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2017