The BBC says its reporting crew in Qatar was arrested while preparing to meet migrant workers in the nation that will host the 2022 World Cup.

BBC journalist Mark Lobel says he and his crew had been invited to Qatar by the government to see official accommodation for low-paid workers.

Lobel says "while gathering additional material for our report, we ended up being thrown into prison."

Along with a cameraman, translator and driver, Lobel says he was interrogated without being "accused of anything directly."

Lobel says they were released after two nights in prison and "allowed to join the organized press trip ... as if nothing had happened."

A German TV film crew was arrested in Doha in March.