The nation of Qatar filed a lawsuit Monday in the United Nations’ International Court of Justice – the U.N.’s organization’s main judicial body – against the United Arab Emirates.

The suit is based on the UAE’s “discrimination against Qatar and Qatari citizens,” a statement by Qatari officials read.

The legal action comes a year after the UAE began a boycott of Doha, the capital of Qatar, accusing the latter of supporting terrorism. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Egypt also are participating in the boycott.

Anwar Gargash, the UAE’s foreign affairs minister, tweeted Monday that Qatar’s claims were based on lies.

According to reports, Qatar said the boycott violated the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, a multinational U.N. treaty prohibiting discrimination on the basis of nationality. While both Qatar and the UAE are signatories to the treaty, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt are not.

Qatar wants the United Arab Emirates to restore the rights of Qatari nationals, alleging the UAE had expelled Qatari nationals from the country, as well as restricted travel through the two nations.

The Associated Press reports the suit is a provisional measure, meaning the court’s order will be more temporary in nature. Thus, the filing will be dealt with more quickly than a typical trial. The ICJ’s rulings are binding.
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