Young activist Noof Al-Maadeed has been missing

A women’s rights activist who mysteriously vanished after returning to Qatar from UK is reportedly being held against her will in a psychiatric hospital. Noof al-Maadeed, 23, was last heard of on October 13 when she spoke of receiving threats.

Since then fears have grown for her safety, with some reports last week suggesting she had been murdered.

The statement reported that Nouf Al-Maadeed was abducted by Qatari police authorities upon returning from the UK on the 13th of October 2021 in Qatar, Reportedly, she has been missing since then. Reports have further alleged that she was killed by her family members on the same night.

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights expressed fears over news that Nouf Al-Maadeed was killed by family members on the same night and urged the Qatari government to uncover the truth in terms of her fate.

In past Instagram posts by Nouf, she had revealed three killing attempts by her family over the years, naming her father amongst the individuals who showed up at a hotel she staying at in an effort to end her life.

Time and again International human rights bodies have raised concerns over the discrimination faced by Qatari women both in law and practice. Women have been the victims of rampant discrimination due to the State’s Family Law. The Qatari government rules also prohibit unmarried women under the age of 25 from foreign travel without their male guardian’s permission.