In its boldest recommendation so far, Qatar's human rights watchdog has suggested that ministers and senior government officials be asked to disclose their personal assets, in order to ensure transparency at the highest level,.

They must also be brought under the purview of an apex anti-corruption body that has been set up by the state recently and be prevented from owning businesses.

And to make sure that the aforementioned steps are taken, Qatar needs to review its various laws and regulations, the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) has said in its annual report for 2011.

The fight against corruption cannot be waged effectively and transparency cannot be ensured unless basic foundations of democracy are present in society.

“We need a legislative body that can monitor the functioning of the government and which has the right to question the government about its policies and financial responsibilities,” the NHRC report said.

Free media and civil societies also play key role in a democratic set up, the rights panel has said, calling for bringing ministers and senior government officials under the ambit of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority.

“Nobody should be considered immune to this Authority,” the NHRC said, reiterating the need to bring ministers and senior state functionaries under its purview, Al Raya reported yesterday.

The Committee, however, added that the Authority should not be given the powers to investigate cases of alleged corruption and financial irregularities involving government officials and departments.

The role of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority should be restricted to informing law-enforcement agencies of such cases.

If the transparency body is armed with the powers to investigate, there would be overlapping in its powers and those of the law-enforcement agencies, the NHRC has cautioned.

It added that last year it received a request for asylum in Qatar on humanitarian grounds, but gave no further details.

The report said that some central prison officials were found involved in violence against two inmates and they have been dismissed and brought to book.

It called on the authorities to accelerate the process of repatriation of detained low-income workers, including maids, and said one woman was found at the deportation center who was there with a her 10-year-old infant.

About human trafficking, the NHRC said that a national strategy needs to be developed to fight the menace as victims of human trafficking do not have enough confidence in the country’s judiciary and fear revenge from law-enforcement agencies. “What is needed is public awareness about human trafficking as most people, including employers and employees, don’t clearly understand the concept,” the NHRC said.

It added that the police department needs to employ interpreters and police personnel dealing with victims of human trafficking must be provided adequate training to handle the victims.

The Committee is highly critical of the law regulating places of worship and said the authority should not lie solely with the minister to issue permissions for opening such centres. The law should only specify terms and conditions for opening such religious centres.