Qatar yesterday launched an urgent case before the U.N.'s highest court against the United Arab Emirates (UAE), accusing it of human rights violations after its Gulf neighbors cut all ties with Doha last year. During a three-day hearing at the International Court of Justice, judges will hear arguments by Doha's lawyers, with the UAE to respond on Thursday. Both will talk on Friday.

The case comes a year after Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Doha on June 5, 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorism and Iran. Doha denies the allegations. Qatar, a small peninsula nation, found its only land border closed, its state-owned airline barred from using its neighbors' airspace, and Qatari residents expelled from the boycotting countries.

It filed its case before the body based in The Hague earlier this month, saying the "The UAE... implemented a series of discriminatory measures directed at Qataris based on their national origin," resulting in alleged human rights violations. It has asked the court, which rules in disputes between countries, to urgently order the UAE to "cease and desist from all conduct that could result... in any form of racial discrimination against Qatari individuals and entities." Doha is basing its claim on the 1965 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), one of the first global human rights treaties to be adopted. Both Qatar and the UAE are signatories of the convention.