Source: Daily Mail
Authorities in Qatar have seized a line of what they called 'un-Islamic' children's toys that feature rainbow patterns similar to LGBT flags.
The small oil-rich peninsular will host next year's football World Cup, and despite repeated assertions by authorities that anyone will be welcome to visit for the tournament, homosexuality remains illegal in the conservative Muslim emirate.
The line of rainbow coloured children's toys was confiscated from stores, with officials saying they were contrary to 'Islamic values'.
The emirate's commerce and industry ministry did not spell out its objection to the rainbow colours, but some of the toys bore a colour scheme very similar to the LGBTQ flag.
The ministry of commerce and industry "carried out inspection campaigns on several retail outlets in different regions across Qatar", it said on Twitter, "The campaigns resulted in the seizure and release of several violations, including the confiscation of children's toys bearing slogans that go against Islamic values".
There was no immediate response from Qatari authorities to AFP new agency's requests to elaborate on the reasons for the seizures.
Qatar's rights record has been under the spotlight ever since it was chosen as the host of the 2022 World Cup in 2010.
The country's attitude towards LGBTQ+ rights was in the spotlight earlier in December when Football pundit Mohamed Aboutrika, a former Egypt international, launched the offensive tirade on beIN Sports - a channel owned and run by Qatar.
He also criticised the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign supporting the LGBTQ+ community, calling for Muslim players to boycott it.
Aboutrika said "such a phenomenon does not fit our faith and it does not fit our religion", adding it is "not only against Islam’s nature, but it’s against human nature".
