Objection with regard to the reservation and statement made by Qatar upon accession: (May 17, 2019)
"The Swiss Federal Council has examined the reservation and the statement made by the State of Qatar upon accession to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 16 December 1966.
The Swiss Federal Council considers that the declaration of Qatar concerning article 8 of the Covenant amounts, in fact, to a reservation. Reservations subjecting all or part of article 3 and article 8 of the Covenant in general terms to Islamic Sharia and/or national legislation constitute reservations of general scope which raise doubts about the full commitment of the State of Qatar to the object and purpose of the Covenant. The Swiss Federal Council recalls that, according to sub-paragraph (c) of article 19 of the Vienna Convention of 23 May 1969 on the Law of Treaties, reservations incompatible with the object and purpose of the Covenant are not permitted.
It is in the common interest of States that instruments to which they have chosen to become parties be respected in their object and purpose by all parties, and that States be prepared to amend their legislation in order to fulfil their treaty obligations.
Henceforth, the Swiss Federal Council objects to these reservations of the State of Qatar. This objection shall not preclude the entry into force of the Covenant, in its entirety, between Switzerland and the State of Qatar."