1995 Qatari coup d'état

1995 Qatari coup d'état

A CIA WFB map of Qatar, not showing the Halul Island.
Date27 June 1995
Location25°17′12″N 51°32′0″E / 25.28667°N 51.53333°E / 25.28667; 51.53333
Result

Coup attempt succeeds.

Commanders and leaders
Qatar Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
Casualties and losses
No casualties reported.

The 1995 Qatari coup d'état was a bloodless palace coup that took place in Qatar on 27 June 1995.[1][2] The coup was carried out by then Crown Prince Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani who, with the support of the ruling Al Thani family, took control of the country while his father, Emir Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, was on a visit to Geneva, Switzerland.[3][4] The coup came after a falling out between Hamad bin Khalifa and his father who, in early 1995, had tried regaining some of the authority he bestowed upon Hamad since 1992.[5][3]

Aftermath[edit]

In response to the coup, Khalifa bin Hamad called his son an "ignorant man" and proclaimed that he was still the legitimate ruler,[1] while Hamad bin Khalifa engaged an American law firm to freeze his father's bank accounts abroad in order to deter a possible counter-coup.[3] However, a counter-coup was attempted in February 1996 under the leadership of former Economy Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani. The counter-coup failed, and several of Qatar's traditional Arab allies were implicated in the plot, namely Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt.[6]

After his deposition, the former Emir lived in exile in France and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates,[4][7] until he returned to Qatar in 2004.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Patrick Cockburn (June 28, 1995). "Emir of Qatar deposed by his son". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 1, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
  2. ^ "Prince deposes father in Qatar". Deseret News. June 27, 1995. Archived from the original on October 9, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  3. ^ a b c Harman, Danna (March 5, 2007). "Backstory: The royal couple that put Qatar on the map". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved November 10, 2010. He was of a new generation, open to the sorts of social, technological, economic, and political ideas from outside that his elders had never known. And, surrounding himself with young, Western-educated advisers, the new emir got right down to the business of remaking the national agenda of this traditional Wahhabi land.
  4. ^ a b "Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Emir". Current Leaders of Nations (fee, via Fairfax County Public Library). Gale. 1998. GALE-K1610000166. Retrieved March 2, 2012. Gale Biography in Context. (subscription required)
  5. ^ "Smooth Qatar Handover Rooted in Turbulent Past of 'Father Emir'". Voice of America. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  6. ^ "New details revealed on 1996 coup attempt against Qatar". Al Jazeera. March 4, 2018. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
  7. ^ "Royal jigsaw in Qatar". The Economist. July 29, 1999. Retrieved June 1, 2018.