New Delhi: Jordanian journalist Abdullah Ibhais, who exposed slavery and human trafficking involving migrant labour in Qatar, is facing renewed concern after his family said he was abducted from a mosque in Amman by Jordan’s General Intelligence Directorate (GID). The reported detention comes just two weeks before Ibhais was due to testify as a witness in a US District Court case concerning the forced labour and human trafficking linked to the Football World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
Ibhais had previously been sentenced to five years in a Doha prison for his actions exposing Qatar’s migrant labour slavery system. He served three years of the sentence and was released in March 2025. His case has again drawn attention to the allegations surrounding slavery, migrant labour and human trafficking in Qatar, particularly in connection with preparations for the Qatar World Cup 2022.
The latest development has placed Ibhais, Qatar and the World Cup 2022 allegations back in focus, with his family describing his removal from the mosque in Amman as an “abduction”. The timing is particularly significant because of his expected testimony in the US District Court case examining allegations of forced labour and human trafficking associated with the 2022 Football World Cup.
Ibhais and Qatar’s migrant labour controversy
Ibhais became known for speaking out about Qatar’s Kafala system and allegations of slavery and exploitation involving migrant workers. The material describes Qatar as one of the biggest perpetrators of human trafficking and the global slave trade, with migrant workers from Africa and Southeast Asia forming a major part of the affected population. His imprisonment in Doha followed his efforts to expose those conditions.
The controversy has also coincided with Qatar’s efforts to expand its partnerships and influence in the United States. Earlier in the summer, Qatar announced efforts to “partner” with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the US. The move has been presented alongside the continuing controversy over slavery, migrant labour and human trafficking allegations associated with Qatar.
Ibhais’s case has consequently become linked not only to Qatar’s Kafala system but also to the wider legacy of the Football World Cup 2022. His anticipated testimony in the US District Court case concerning forced labour and human trafficking allegations has added significance to his reported detention in Amman.
For those following the Qatar World Cup 2022 controversy, the renewed attention on Ibhais brings his earlier imprisonment and allegations of slavery back into the spotlight. After serving three years of a five-year prison sentence in Doha and being released in March 2025, the journalist is now, according to his family, again facing detention in connection with events in Jordan.
The case has therefore placed Abdullah Ibhais at the centre of renewed scrutiny over Qatar, migrant labour, slavery and the human-trafficking allegations surrounding the 2022 Football World Cup. His family’s account of his reported abduction from a mosque in Amman comes only weeks before his scheduled role as a witness in the US District Court proceedings.
