Top UN court to rule in Qatar lawsuit against UAE next week

The United Nations' highest legal body will next week issue a verdict in a case lawsuit by Qatar accusing the United Arab Emirates of discrimination against Doha and its citizens.

The International Court of Justice said on Tuesday in a statement that it will deliver its ruling in the lawsuit on Monday 23 July amid a year-long boycott of Qatar by a Saudi-led quartet.

Qatar filed the lawsuit earlier this month, accusing the UAE of human rights "violations" and discrimination against Qataris, saying it was fostering a "climate of fear". The UAE denies the allegations.

Cases at the ICJ take months or years to complete. However, requests for provisional measures like those requested by Qatar are dealt with faster.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties to Qatar on June 5, 2017.

The bloc gave Qatari nationals two weeks to leave the countries.

The four Arab nations also blocked their airspace and seaports to Qatar, while Saudi Arabia also cut off its only land border.

The boycotting countries say the crisis stems from Qatar's support for extremist groups in the region, charges vehemently denied by Doha

Earlier this month, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) ruled it had the jurisdiction to determine a dispute brought by Qatar, accusing its neighbours of violating an agreement that regulates the free passage of passenger planes through foreign airspace.

The ICJ was set up in 1946 to rule in disputes against states, but it can also give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by other UN organs and specialised agencies.

A separate UN body, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in January charged the four blockading countries of orchestrating a hate campaign against Qatar, which included threats to kill the country's emir.