MSNBC’s Ayman Mohyeldin Equates U.S. and Qatar Human Rights, Accuses Qatar World Cup Critics of ‘Gross Double Standards’

MSNBC’s Ayman Mohyeldin addressed controversy surrounding the World Cup being held in Qatar by setting his sights on the U.S.

Qatar has long been a controversial location for the World Cup, with critics citing serious human rights concerns in the country as a factor major factor in opposing the decision. Mohyeldin claimed during a Sunday broadcast and op-ed that the criticism shows ” the depths of Western prejudice, performative moral outrage and, perhaps most significantly, gross double standards.”

Mohyeldin acknowledged at the top of his report that he worked for many years in Qatar and though is acknowledged the nation “is not perfect,” he still saw a double standard in human rights criticisms, arguing pundits would not be nearly as critical of the U.S.

Mohyeldin said:

I wonder if any of these American pundits grandstanding about human rights will call for the U.S. to be stripped of hosting the 2026 World Cup for the way elected leaders in this country and our judicial system in this country have rolled back reproductive rights, moved to ban the word ‘gay’ in public schools along or even ban books.

According to Amnesty International, authorities in Qatar continue to “curtail freedom of expression using abusive laws to stifle critical voices.” A report from the organization also highlights migrant labor concerns, discrimination against women, and laws prohibiting homosexuality.

Human Rights Watch also highlighted the migrant labor that was used to create the infrastructure for the World Cup, blasting FIFA in their statements.

“FIFA’s failure to provide a remedy while accruing billions of dollars in revenue has left everything in sight in Qatar – from the roads to the stadiums – as reminders of the migrant workers who built and delivered the games but did not receive their wages or died with no compensation for their families,” the group said.

Other criticisms of the Qatar location include the country’s officials intimidating journalists, with recent examples of a Danish reporter being threatened with his camera being destroyed and a CBS reporter being forced to delete a photo by security authorities.

Mohyeldin, however, called critiques part of a “blatantly Western-centric discourse around the sport” and insisted he’s simply being more “nuanced” on the human rights concerns. Now, he claimed, is a time for “self-reflection.”

“No one is saying Qatar is perfect. That would be ridiculous,” he wrote in his op-ed. “But I am urging us to be more nuanced in our critiques and resist simply parroting generic biased accusations, without some self-reflection.”

Watch above via MSNBC

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