Sean O’Neill
Thursday September 29 2022, 12.01am BST, The Times
A British travel industry executive, headhunted to boost Qatar’s tourism trade for the World Cup, died in unexplained circumstances after telling friends that he had been detained and tortured by the country’s secret police.
Marc Bennett, 52, was found hanged in a Doha hotel during Christmas 2019, ten weeks after he had been arrested at the offices of his employer, Qatar Airways, and taken blindfolded and handcuffed to a state security detention centre. Bennett later described how he was stripped naked, blasted with high-pressure hoses, slammed against walls and subjected to sleep deprivation techniques while held for three weeks. United Nations lawyers say there have been “credible allegations” of extra-judicial detention and ill-treatment at the unit where he was detained.
After his release, Bennett was prevented from leaving Qatar and abandoned in what his family described as a “legal limbo” — not knowing if he faced any charges and fearing re-arrest.
The Times can reveal full details of Bennett’s treatment today as Qatar prepares to host 1.2 million visitors for the World Cup in November. The Qataris are spending millions — including hiring David Beckham to make promotional films — portraying their country as a holiday paradise.
The authorities declared Bennett’s death a suicide but a British coroner has ruled there was “no specific evidence of suicidal intent” and that “the circumstances of the months leading up to his death remain unclear”.
Bennett did not leave a suicide note and he sent no emails or texts to his wide circle of friends and family. The night before he died he had a video call with his wife and children, during which he was “laughing and joking”.
Despite being aware of the concerns of the coroner and the family, the Foreign Office closed the case last September, exactly a week after Liz Truss became foreign secretary.
In depth: Ex-rugby player was joking with family on eve of Qatar ‘suicide’
The next month Truss visited Qatar to start a “strategic dialogue” and to create “deeper co-operation on security, development, trade and investment”. In May the emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, met Boris Johnson to unveil a £10 billion investment package in Britain.
Bennett was a former director at Tui and Thomas Cook and became senior vice-president of Discover Qatar, a subsidiary of the state-owned Qatar Airways, in 2017. His task was to modernise the country’s tourism industry. Former colleagues said that Bennett worked closely with Akbar al-Baker, the airline’s chief executive, who is also a director of Heathrow airport, in which Qatar owns a 20 per cent stake.
His arrest in October 2019 came after he resigned and was considering a job offer from a Saudi travel firm. One ex-colleague claimed Bennett’s resignation was regarded as a “massive insult”.
In her first interview, Nancy Bennett, 51, Bennett’s widow, said: “There are so many questions. He left here with the whole world ahead of him.”
Qatar Airways said that Bennett had been a valued and popular colleague. The company said that immediately after his resignation it discovered he had been sending “highly confidential documents” to a private email address and that he was reported to police. The Qatari authorities did not respond to questions from The Times. A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We provided assistance to the family of a British man following his death in Doha.”
Jail visit by UN human rights team blocked
A United Nations mission investigating human rights abuses in Qatar was refused entry to the secretive unit where Marc Bennett was being held in 2019 (Sean O’Neill writes).
Lawyers from the UN’s working group on arbitrary detention were in Qatar inspecting jails and detention centres from November 3-14. Bennett was unexpectedly released from detention on November 2 and dropped off at a Doha hotel with no documentation relating to his arrest or any legal proceedings against him. In its preliminary findings, the working party said its mission had been hampered.
“When the working group decided to visit one of the state security detention facilities, in relation to which it had received credible allegations of prolonged detention without judicial control and of ill-treatment, it was prevented from doing so,” the group said.
“Equally, when the working group visited some other places of deprivation of liberty, it found these facilities nearly empty and received credible reports that detainees had been transferred to other facilities prior to its arrival.”
The group asked to be invited back to Qatar this year to see if there had been any improvements but it is understood its request to return was refused.
Bennett’s family have sent a dossier to the working group and asked for an inquiry into his arrest, incarceration and death.
Human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns about the treatment of migrant workers in Qatar. Some 30,000 foreign labourers — mostly from Nepal, Bangladesh, India and the Philippines — have been recruited to build stadiums and hotels for the World Cup. They work in stifling heat and there have been reports of unpaid wages and atrocious living conditions, with significant numbers of injuries and deaths.
The Mail on Sunday reported this week that there had been 2,823 unexplained deaths of foreign workers in Qatar since 2011 and 551 suicides of foreigners of working age. Foreign nationals appeared to kill themselves at 79 times the rate of Qatari citizens. Qatar has promised to overhaul its kafala labour system under which foreign workers are strictly controlled by their employers but many restrictive features remain in place.
A British businessman formerly employed in the country said: “Whether you’re a Pakistani labourer or a well-to-do British guy, you will be treated like dirt if your employer turns against you.
“It feels like you’re a slave. You can’t even leave the country for a weekend away without the permission of your employer.”
Relationship worth billions
Behind the story
Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, visited Downing Street in May to announce a £10 billion investment in Britain (Sean O’Neill writes).
The meeting with Boris Johnson cemented negotiations that had been taking place for months. Liz Truss met the emir in Doha last October when she was foreign secretary. No 10 said Qatar was investing in fintech, zero-emissions vehicles, life sciences and cybersecurity. The cash would create “high-quality jobs . . . across the country”.
The financial relationship between Britain and Qatar ranges from stakes in Heathrow and Barclays to sponsoring Glorious Goodwood. King Charles received three large cash donations from a Qatari politician for his charities when he was the Prince of Wales.
UK-Qatar trade was estimated to be worth £4.8 billion in 2021 and Qatari investment in the UK economy is already estimated at more than £40 billion.
Qatari investments include a 25.1 per cent stake in IAG, the owner of British Airways. Akbar al-Baker, head of Qatar Airways, sits on the board of Heathrow, in which the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has a stake. The QIA bought Harrods in 2010 in a deal said to be worth £1.5 billion. It also has a 22 per cent stake in Sainsbury’s and a 6 per cent share in Barclays. The Qataris own big slices of London real estate including Canary Wharf, purchased in 2015 for $4 billion, and the Shard skyscraper.
The emir was a guest at the state funeral for the Queen.
Poor guy. His family will be sickened when Truss ignores this to do some scummy deal with them.
Reminder that this country is currently hosting the upcoming world cup
Looking forward to the world cup boys, remember not to have any fun whatsoever
Let’s enjoy the Qatar FIFA world cup built on the corpses of 6500 dead salve labourers
Look there’s nothing to fear about the Qatar World Cup.
Just follow these two simple steps.
– don’t be gay
– don’t be a woman
Fucking hell. As someone who’s been working abroad for 20-something years, there are definitely countries I’d stay away from. Islamic dictatorships without rule of law are most definitely on that list.
That’s what happens when you entertain these 3rd world shit holes that masquerade as developed countries.
[deleted]
Anyone who goes to the World Cup is culpable in supporting this regime.
No doubt people from the UK will go anyway as watching people kick a ball around is more important than worrying about where it’s happening.
Quick travel advice: If the country is ran by religious fanatics, don’t go to this place.
They sure are doing a great job of modernising their tourism industry – fantastic PR!
At this point, why anyone would *ever* want to visit an Islamofascist shithole like Qatar is beyond me.
Bennett did not leave a suicide note and he sent no emails or texts to his wide circle of friends and family. The night before he died he had a video call with his wife and children, during which he was “laughing and joking”.
​
The company said that immediately after his resignation it discovered he had been sending “highly confidential documents” to a private email address and that he was reported to police. The Qatari authorities did not respond to questions from The Times. A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We provided assistance to the family of a British man following his death in Doha.”
The British government is to blame.
The British governments lack of involvement in these types of cases is exactly why British nationals abroad get treated terribly.
I know a man who was arrested in Egypt the charges were “taking a picture of a secret police station” absolute bogus claim. In reality the officer just wanted a bribe. The British government did absolutely NOTHING and left him stranded. He was sentenced to jail for an entire year. The judge refused to even hear his side of events because he didn’t speak the local language.
wtf :((( that’s so disgusting
why did qatar do this? what was the reason for his arrest?
Move along people nothing to see here – Conservative Party
The RUC, known for their torture, have trained many police forces around the world, including that of Qatar
Realistically what can I do? I suppose I can write to the Foreign Department and demand to know what they’re doing about it. I’m doing it. Will post any response I get.
So because he’s a Brit, the team is going to pull out and boycott – finally?…..
I don’t really understand the point of stories like this
Qatari should have never been allowed to host. Goes to show the elites care more about money. I know someone who was in Russia few years back. The sochi Olympics thing is all empty. Tons of cheap migrant labor used to build it and it just stands empty now. Most likely what will happen here too after worldcup an empty area
Isn’t Qatar the country that David Beckham is advertising on youtube?
The Arab world was once the world centre of culture and learning, what happened?
23 comments
Sean O’Neill
Thursday September 29 2022, 12.01am BST, The Times
A British travel industry executive, headhunted to boost Qatar’s tourism trade for the World Cup, died in unexplained circumstances after telling friends that he had been detained and tortured by the country’s secret police.
Marc Bennett, 52, was found hanged in a Doha hotel during Christmas 2019, ten weeks after he had been arrested at the offices of his employer, Qatar Airways, and taken blindfolded and handcuffed to a state security detention centre. Bennett later described how he was stripped naked, blasted with high-pressure hoses, slammed against walls and subjected to sleep deprivation techniques while held for three weeks. United Nations lawyers say there have been “credible allegations” of extra-judicial detention and ill-treatment at the unit where he was detained.
After his release, Bennett was prevented from leaving Qatar and abandoned in what his family described as a “legal limbo” — not knowing if he faced any charges and fearing re-arrest.
The Times can reveal full details of Bennett’s treatment today as Qatar prepares to host 1.2 million visitors for the World Cup in November. The Qataris are spending millions — including hiring David Beckham to make promotional films — portraying their country as a holiday paradise.
The authorities declared Bennett’s death a suicide but a British coroner has ruled there was “no specific evidence of suicidal intent” and that “the circumstances of the months leading up to his death remain unclear”.
Bennett did not leave a suicide note and he sent no emails or texts to his wide circle of friends and family. The night before he died he had a video call with his wife and children, during which he was “laughing and joking”.
Despite being aware of the concerns of the coroner and the family, the Foreign Office closed the case last September, exactly a week after Liz Truss became foreign secretary.
In depth: Ex-rugby player was joking with family on eve of Qatar ‘suicide’
The next month Truss visited Qatar to start a “strategic dialogue” and to create “deeper co-operation on security, development, trade and investment”. In May the emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, met Boris Johnson to unveil a £10 billion investment package in Britain.
Bennett was a former director at Tui and Thomas Cook and became senior vice-president of Discover Qatar, a subsidiary of the state-owned Qatar Airways, in 2017. His task was to modernise the country’s tourism industry. Former colleagues said that Bennett worked closely with Akbar al-Baker, the airline’s chief executive, who is also a director of Heathrow airport, in which Qatar owns a 20 per cent stake.
His arrest in October 2019 came after he resigned and was considering a job offer from a Saudi travel firm. One ex-colleague claimed Bennett’s resignation was regarded as a “massive insult”.
In her first interview, Nancy Bennett, 51, Bennett’s widow, said: “There are so many questions. He left here with the whole world ahead of him.”
Qatar Airways said that Bennett had been a valued and popular colleague. The company said that immediately after his resignation it discovered he had been sending “highly confidential documents” to a private email address and that he was reported to police. The Qatari authorities did not respond to questions from The Times. A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We provided assistance to the family of a British man following his death in Doha.”
Jail visit by UN human rights team blocked
A United Nations mission investigating human rights abuses in Qatar was refused entry to the secretive unit where Marc Bennett was being held in 2019 (Sean O’Neill writes).
Lawyers from the UN’s working group on arbitrary detention were in Qatar inspecting jails and detention centres from November 3-14. Bennett was unexpectedly released from detention on November 2 and dropped off at a Doha hotel with no documentation relating to his arrest or any legal proceedings against him. In its preliminary findings, the working party said its mission had been hampered.
“When the working group decided to visit one of the state security detention facilities, in relation to which it had received credible allegations of prolonged detention without judicial control and of ill-treatment, it was prevented from doing so,” the group said.
“Equally, when the working group visited some other places of deprivation of liberty, it found these facilities nearly empty and received credible reports that detainees had been transferred to other facilities prior to its arrival.”
The group asked to be invited back to Qatar this year to see if there had been any improvements but it is understood its request to return was refused.
Bennett’s family have sent a dossier to the working group and asked for an inquiry into his arrest, incarceration and death.
Human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns about the treatment of migrant workers in Qatar. Some 30,000 foreign labourers — mostly from Nepal, Bangladesh, India and the Philippines — have been recruited to build stadiums and hotels for the World Cup. They work in stifling heat and there have been reports of unpaid wages and atrocious living conditions, with significant numbers of injuries and deaths.
The Mail on Sunday reported this week that there had been 2,823 unexplained deaths of foreign workers in Qatar since 2011 and 551 suicides of foreigners of working age. Foreign nationals appeared to kill themselves at 79 times the rate of Qatari citizens. Qatar has promised to overhaul its kafala labour system under which foreign workers are strictly controlled by their employers but many restrictive features remain in place.
A British businessman formerly employed in the country said: “Whether you’re a Pakistani labourer or a well-to-do British guy, you will be treated like dirt if your employer turns against you.
“It feels like you’re a slave. You can’t even leave the country for a weekend away without the permission of your employer.”
Relationship worth billions
Behind the story
Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, visited Downing Street in May to announce a £10 billion investment in Britain (Sean O’Neill writes).
The meeting with Boris Johnson cemented negotiations that had been taking place for months. Liz Truss met the emir in Doha last October when she was foreign secretary. No 10 said Qatar was investing in fintech, zero-emissions vehicles, life sciences and cybersecurity. The cash would create “high-quality jobs . . . across the country”.
The financial relationship between Britain and Qatar ranges from stakes in Heathrow and Barclays to sponsoring Glorious Goodwood. King Charles received three large cash donations from a Qatari politician for his charities when he was the Prince of Wales.
UK-Qatar trade was estimated to be worth £4.8 billion in 2021 and Qatari investment in the UK economy is already estimated at more than £40 billion.
Qatari investments include a 25.1 per cent stake in IAG, the owner of British Airways. Akbar al-Baker, head of Qatar Airways, sits on the board of Heathrow, in which the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has a stake. The QIA bought Harrods in 2010 in a deal said to be worth £1.5 billion. It also has a 22 per cent stake in Sainsbury’s and a 6 per cent share in Barclays. The Qataris own big slices of London real estate including Canary Wharf, purchased in 2015 for $4 billion, and the Shard skyscraper.
The emir was a guest at the state funeral for the Queen.
Poor guy. His family will be sickened when Truss ignores this to do some scummy deal with them.
Reminder that this country is currently hosting the upcoming world cup
Looking forward to the world cup boys, remember not to have any fun whatsoever
Let’s enjoy the Qatar FIFA world cup built on the corpses of 6500 dead salve labourers
Look there’s nothing to fear about the Qatar World Cup.
Just follow these two simple steps.
– don’t be gay
– don’t be a woman
Fucking hell. As someone who’s been working abroad for 20-something years, there are definitely countries I’d stay away from. Islamic dictatorships without rule of law are most definitely on that list.
That’s what happens when you entertain these 3rd world shit holes that masquerade as developed countries.
[deleted]
Anyone who goes to the World Cup is culpable in supporting this regime.
No doubt people from the UK will go anyway as watching people kick a ball around is more important than worrying about where it’s happening.
Quick travel advice: If the country is ran by religious fanatics, don’t go to this place.
They sure are doing a great job of modernising their tourism industry – fantastic PR!
At this point, why anyone would *ever* want to visit an Islamofascist shithole like Qatar is beyond me.
Bennett did not leave a suicide note and he sent no emails or texts to his wide circle of friends and family. The night before he died he had a video call with his wife and children, during which he was “laughing and joking”.
​
The company said that immediately after his resignation it discovered he had been sending “highly confidential documents” to a private email address and that he was reported to police. The Qatari authorities did not respond to questions from The Times. A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We provided assistance to the family of a British man following his death in Doha.”
The British government is to blame.
The British governments lack of involvement in these types of cases is exactly why British nationals abroad get treated terribly.
I know a man who was arrested in Egypt the charges were “taking a picture of a secret police station” absolute bogus claim. In reality the officer just wanted a bribe. The British government did absolutely NOTHING and left him stranded. He was sentenced to jail for an entire year. The judge refused to even hear his side of events because he didn’t speak the local language.
wtf :((( that’s so disgusting
why did qatar do this? what was the reason for his arrest?
Move along people nothing to see here – Conservative Party
The RUC, known for their torture, have trained many police forces around the world, including that of Qatar
[https://thedetail.tv/articles/northern-ireland-policing-the-world](https://thedetail.tv/articles/northern-ireland-policing-the-world)
[https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/oct/11/inside-castlereagh-confessions-torture](https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/oct/11/inside-castlereagh-confessions-torture)
Realistically what can I do? I suppose I can write to the Foreign Department and demand to know what they’re doing about it. I’m doing it. Will post any response I get.
So because he’s a Brit, the team is going to pull out and boycott – finally?…..
I don’t really understand the point of stories like this
Qatari should have never been allowed to host. Goes to show the elites care more about money. I know someone who was in Russia few years back. The sochi Olympics thing is all empty. Tons of cheap migrant labor used to build it and it just stands empty now. Most likely what will happen here too after worldcup an empty area
Isn’t Qatar the country that David Beckham is advertising on youtube?
The Arab world was once the world centre of culture and learning, what happened?