16 Filipinos in Qatar detention for Duterte rally

Twenty Filipinos remain in detention in Qatar after being arrested on Friday, March 28 for participating in a suspected unauthorized political demonstration supporting former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Three teenagers among the group have been released by Monday while one woman remains in custody; the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is providing legal assistance to all detained individuals and hopes that the remaining 16 will be freed within the week.

Supporters of Duterte staged rallies around the world on March 28 to mark his 80th birthday, coinciding with protests against his detention at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

The DFA confirmed on Monday that the arrests were due to political activities rather than visa issues and is negotiating for fines instead of imprisonment penalties under Qatar's strict laws.

Migrante Middle East expressed concern over the arrests and urged all OFWs to exercise caution when expressing political views, suggesting alternative ways such as registering to vote through their embassy.