Qatar’s tightly-controlled media on Monday stepped up an offensive against European criticism of the Gulf state’s human rights record ahead of the World Cup, on which it has spent billions of dollars.

Editorials and cartoons in recent days have lambasted “smear campaigns” about Qatar’s treatment of migrant workers, women and the LGBTQ community.

European newspapers and rights groups have put a spotlight on Qatar’s record in the runup to the tournament that starts November 20 and is expected to attract more than one million fans.

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