Abdullah Ibhais, a Jordanian whistleblower who spent three years jailed in Doha after what Amnesty International called an "unfair trial," was detained in Amman days before a planned U.S. deposition in a case alleging forced labour linked to the 2022 World Cup. His family says Jordanian GID officers seized him at a mosque in front of his children, presented no warrant and barred lawyer access. Ibhais had received a U.S. visa on 6 August and was due to give a voluntary deposition on 20 August after being subpoenaed by the Court of Colorado; his passport had previously been held between May and July, blocking earlier testimony and travel to human rights events.
Qatar Whistleblower Abdullah Ibhais Arrested In Amman Ahead Of US Deposition In 2022 World Cup Labour Probe
Qatar whistleblower Abdullah Ibhais has been arrested in Jordan (Abdullah Ibhais/Human Rights Watch)
Abdullah Ibhais, a Jordanian whistleblower who has criticized labour conditions linked to Qatar's 2022 World Cup, was detained in Amman by Jordanian security agents days before he was due to give testimony in a U.S. court case alleging forced labour and human trafficking related to the tournament.
Background
Ibhais spent three years in a Doha prison after what Amnesty International described as an "unfair trial." He says he travelled to raise workers' complaints and urged Qatar's Supreme Committee to acknowledge its role, a stance he says led to a malicious prosecution. Human rights group FairSquare has said Ibhais provided substantial evidence supporting his claims.
Qatari Account And Release
Qatari authorities have presented a different narrative, pointing to Ibhais's April 2021 conviction on charges including "bribery," "violation of the integrity of tenders and profits" and "intentional damage to public funds." He was released on 11 March 2025 after his five-year sentence was reduced.
Arrest In Jordan
According to the family and reporting, Ibhais was taken from a mosque in Amman by officers from the Jordanian General Intelligence Directorate (GID) in front of his two children; relatives say no arrest warrant was shown and lawyers have been denied access to him.
The family says GID officers had previously warned Ibhais that he risked imprisonment if he continued his advocacy about workers' conditions or his own case. Relatives also allege that Ibhais confronted interrogators when he suggested they were acting on requests from Qatari authorities — an allegation the officers reportedly neither denied nor disputed.
Abdullah Ibhais spent three years in a Doha jail until his release in March 2025 (Supplied)
Legal Proceedings And Travel Restrictions
Ibhais had been scheduled to give a voluntary deposition in the United States on 20 August after being subpoenaed by the Court of Colorado. His family says he obtained a U.S. visa on 6 August at the U.S. Embassy in Amman.
They also say his passport was confiscated for two months between May and July, a measure that allegedly prevented him from joining a virtual deposition at a U.S. embassy in Norway on 30 May 2026 and from travelling to Washington, D.C., to meet Massachusetts Congressman James McGovern on 17 June. McGovern later renewed his invitation and expressed concern that Jordanian authorities continued to hold Ibhais's passport.
Missed Engagements
Because of the travel restrictions, Ibhais was unable to participate in the Oslo Freedom Forum in early June, an event organised by the Human Rights Foundation, and could not attend other planned advocacy meetings.
What’s Next
Family members and advocacy groups are calling for transparency: they want confirmation of the grounds for Ibhais's detention, immediate access to legal counsel, and assurance that he can comply with legal obligations abroad, including the scheduled U.S. deposition. Jordanian and Qatari officials have not publicly confirmed the family’s account.
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