Top Iraqi born architect Zaha Hadid has launched defamation proceedings against the New York Review of Books, over suggestions in an article that she was “showing no concern” for the deaths of hundreds of construction workers in Qatar.
According to The Guardian, Hadid has filed a complaint based on an article by Martin Filler, in which Hadid is referred to.
Hadid – one of the world’s most renowned architects – has designed one of the stadiums for the controversial Qatar 2022 World Cup. Over 1,000 migrant workers are already thought to have been killed during construction of stadiums. The Guardian says that Hadid has taken objection to the phrase “showing no concern” over the deaths, with the architect claiming it has been taken out of context. Earlier this year, the paper reported, Hadid said architects “have nothing to do” with construction deaths.
The article by Miller stems from a review of the book ‘Why We Build’ which he reviewed for the publication.
Hadid’s lawyer Oren Warshavsky told The Guardian: “Nearly all of those references are used to call our client’s success into question or to characterise her personally as difficult. It is a personal attack disguised as a book review and has exposed Ms Hadid to public ridicule and contempt, depriving her of confidence and injuring her good name and reputation.”
Earlier this year The Sunday Times revealed that Qatar had paid nearly $5m in bribes to secure the rights to the Qatar 2022 World Cup – claims disputed by the organisers.
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