Norwegian journalists reporting on World Cup workers arrested in Qatar

Two journalists from Norwegian state television were arrested and held for over 30 hours by security forces in Qatar before being freed. Qatar accused them of “trespassing on private property and filming without a permit.”

Ekeland works for the sports division of NRK, covering topics such as politics in sports and the Qatar regime’s treatment of migrant workers. Ghorbani is an experienced staff photographer for NRK.

The two were reportedly detained after reporting on the condition of migrant laborers during a live report. The journalists told NRK that they were not allowed to leave Qatar with their equipment or their footage.