"2022 World Cup human rights whistleblower Abdullah Ibhais detained in Jordan", 27 May 2026

Qatar whistleblower Abdullah Ibhais was detained in Jordan with local authorities allegedly confiscating his passport after having attended a Norwegian event where he spoke about human rights abuses.

A former media manager of the Supreme Committee for Legacy and Delivery, Ibhais had just returned home from the Nordic Media Days in Bergen where he spoke about FIFA, Qatar, and media manipulation around the 2022 World Cup when according to Ibhais authorities detained him, questioned him for hours and confiscated his passport.

Ibhais says authorities have not yet returned his passport. He has reportedly been told to stop speaking publicly about his imprisonment in Qatar, the treatment of migrant workers, and his criticism of the 2022 World Cup...

...Jordan authorities questioned him about his work in Qatar, his media appearances, his participation in international conferences, and the relationship between Jordan and Qatar.

Norwegian media Idrettspolitikk reports that Ibhais was asked to write a summary of what he planned to say at the upcoming Oslo Freedom Forum where he has been scheduled to speak. After seeing the summary, intelligence officers objected and told him to remove all negative references to Qatar.

The government of Jordan has been contacted for comment.