Dubai — Qatar has revoked the citizenship of high profile poet Mohammed Al-Marri and Sheikh Shafi Nasser Hamoud Al-Hajri, the elder of the tribe of Shaml Al-Hawajer along with a group of his family, according to media reports.

Sheikh Shafi condemned the actions of the Qatari government toward its neighbors in the Gulf, stressing his rejection of Doha’s actions that threaten the internal security of Gulf states.

Twitter users launched a hashtag to expose Doha’s oppressive national policies toward its opposition.

“Bani Hajar” tribe lives in various parts of the Arabian Peninsula and has presence in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Iraq, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait.

Depriving Sheikh Shafi of his citizenship is the second case in less than a month after the withdrawal of the nationality of Sheikh Talib Bin Lahoum Bin Shraim, leader of Al-Murrah tribe with more than 50 people from his family.

Poet Mohammed Al-Marri lost his citizenship because he spoke out and said that he rejects the politicization of Haj and insulting Gulf emblems.

Qatar revoked the citizenship of Al-Marri, who holds the title Millions’ Poet.

The hashtag “revoking Bin Futais’ nationality” went viral on social media pages as many thought the decision was unjust.

“If insulting homelands is a red line, then insulting sanctities and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and scholars is a line of fire and we will not allow anyone to cross it or violate it,” Marri said.

Marri is not the first poet Doha who has been targeted. Mohammed Bin Al-Deeb was previously jailed.

Meanwhile, French magazine Le Point as revealed that the authorities in Qatar have arrested at least 20 members of ruling Al-Thani family for their opposition to the policies of Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad regarding the ongoing diplomatic and economic crisis the country is facing.

Details of the arrest were reported in an article on Le Point International titled: “The Emir of Qatar imprisons members of his ruling family”. The magazine said it obtained its information from a French citizen currently being detained in Qatar.

According to Le Point, 20 members were arrested and are being punished for showing support toward the Anti-Terror Quartet boycotting countries, expressing their dissatisfaction and rejection of the current policies followed by Qatar’s emir and his government.

The magazine obtained their information via direct contact with Jean-Pierre Marongiu, chairman of a French company currently being detained in Doha for the past four years for writing bad cheques, a charge he has denied.

“They arrested about twenty people. In my block, there are six members of the Al-Thani family,” he said.

At least four members were identified in the piece: Sheikh Talal bin Abdulaziz bin Ahmed bin Ali Al-Thani, Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa bin Jassem bin Ali Al-Thani, Sheikh Ali bin Fahd bin Jassem bin Ali Al-Thani and Sheikh Nasser bin Abdullah bin Khalifa bin Ali Al-Thani.

All four members belong to the Bin Ali branch of the Al-Thanis. — Agencies