The blockade imposed on Qatar is unfair and breaks the bonds of brotherhood and neighbor, and violates international covenants and treaties, said the human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tawakkol Karman.

Karman stressed that the boycott came as a punishment on Qatar for its support for the Arab spring. 

In an interview carried out by Qatar’s Al Sharq newspaper, she reaffirmed that the role of Qatar in supporting the Arab spring and its issues in general was essential and decisive, pointing out that Qatar played an unmistakably pivotal role. 

The 13-point list recently presented by the three blockading Gulf countries, in Karman’s view, is nothing but a desperate attempt to justify their unfair measures against Qatar.  

She also drew attention to the boycotting countries’ insistence on being preoccupied with tiny projects, while the Iranian threat is only a stone’s throw from their capitals and thrones. 

Mrs. Karman emphasized that Abu Dhabi has taken over the decision making among the Saudi-led coalition, and directed its operations and policies in a way that led to the failure to achieve the goals of ending the coup and restoring the control of legitimacy.

She stressed that the conspiracy against Qatar has failed, and that the siege primarily inflicts serious damage on the Qatari people due to the ban on importing milk, vegetables and basic foodstuffs.

As for accusations concerning Qatar’s support for the coup in Yemen, the Nobel laureate said: "Qatar does not need anyone to defend it against such ridiculous charge. Whoever follows media outlets of the putschists in Yemen (Houthis and forces loyal to Saleh) will find most of them dedicated to attacking Qatar and Al Jazeera.

Regarding the Yemeni government's decision to sever its relationship with Qatar, Tawakkol Karman stated that this step badly affects the Yemeni crisis, stressing that President Hadi should have maintained the same distance from all parties.

"But it is clear that President Hadi and his government have been under considerable pressure from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to make a boycott decision, especially since they are in Riyadh," Karman expected.

She revealed that the presidential protection brigades in Aden were exposed to the bombing of Apache aircraft belonging to the UAE, citing the UAE's control over the liberated areas in Yemen through its military units and loyalists. 

In Karman’s view, Abu Dhabi is seeking to replace the Houthi coup with a de facto authority rebelling against the legitimacy and its powers and federal project.

She explained that military and security units have been established and officials have been appointed in the liberated areas without the consent of the legitimate authority, emphasizing that these units and officials do not owe allegiance to the legitimate president, but to parties in the coalition and the UAE in particular.

If a collision occurs between president's will and the will of the UAE, they automatically follow the orders of the UAE, ignoring the president's instructions, asserted the Nobel laureate. 

"A few weeks ago, the president ordered to dismiss the governor of Aden, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, and commander of the so-called security belt in Aden, Minister Hani Brik, these two top UAE allies immediately declared their rebellion against the president’s decision and launched a "South Transitional Council," aimed at working toward secession,” she continued. 

Finally, Tawakkol Karman called for empowering the legitimate president Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to extend his control over all liberated areas and help him liberate the remaining areas under the control of the coup so that Yemenis would be able to hold a referendum on the draft constitution and organize various elections in accordance with the new constitution.