On Tuesday, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani hit out at the "unprecedented" wave of criticism the country has faced since it won the right to host the Arab world's first-ever football World Cup.
Sheikh Tamim went on to term the campaign "slanderous," "fabricated," and "full of double standards."
"Since we won the honor of hosting the World Cup, Qatar has been subjected to an unprecedented campaign that no host country has ever faced," the Qatari emir said in a televised speech to the nation.
Sheikh Tamim added that the campaign against Qatar included "fabrications and double standards that were so ferocious that it has unfortunately prompted many people to question the real reasons and motives behind the campaign."
Western media outlets and organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have severely slammed alleged abuse of foreign workers in Qatar, while also highlighting claims of mistreatment filed by LGBTQ people.
According to foreign media reports, there has been widespread oppression of migrant workers in the country: not only were they underpaid, but also faced inhumane living conditions at construction sites while building stadiums for the biggest football spectacle in the world.
As for LGBTQ matters, same-sex relationships are officially illegal in Qatar: if a person of any faith other than Islam is caught in the act, they face a prison term of up to three years; if the person is a Muslim, it could result in the death penalty.
Despite the criticism, FIFA chief Gianni Infantino recently said that the World Cup in Qatar will be the "best ever."