Qatar has barred people from sharing photos or videos of accident victims on any platform without proper authorization from now on. Anyone found violating the same will be punished as per the law in the Gulf country.
Article 333 of the Qatar penal code strictly prohibits illegal intrusion into another person’s private life and without consent, through different means, including taking or transmitting somebody’s photographs or pictures of other persons in a private place using any type of device.
Qatar Interior Ministry officials announced on 9 February 2022 that photos are not allowed to be taken with mobiles or cameras without prior permission. The individuals violating the regulations can be jailed for 2 years and up to 10,000 Qatar Riyals.
It was stated that any such offence shall be reported to the Awareness officer at the Cyber and Financial Crimes Prevention Department. The complaint can be made personally or via email.
The Ministry of Interior (MoI), in 2017, announced that unauthorized photography in public places with cameras or mobile phones, violating the sanctity of private life will draw a penalty not exceeding QR10,000 and imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years as stipulated by the Law.
Speaking at a virtual awareness program, First Lieutenant Engineer Abdulaziz Mohamed al-Kaabi from the Economic and Cyber Crimes Combating Department at the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation explained that the law was issued in 2017 after amending Article 333 of the Qatar Penal Code.
The seminar on ‘Prevention of Financial and Cyber Crimes’ was organized by the MoI’s Public Relations Department as part of a series of awareness programs for communities in Qatar.
Al-Kaabi noted that blackmailing by means of photographs, is a punishable offence by Qatar, and it draws imprisonment of not more than three years and a fine of not more than QR100,000 or either of these. Any person who uses information technology or network to threaten or blackmail will face action.
When clicking pictures in Qatar the individual must be aware of the sign of ‘No Photography Allowed’. It is always smart to ask the authority present at the concerned place for permission to click a picture.
Photography restrictions can be seen in places like official buildings, military camps, industrial plants, etc. in Qatar.
It is very important in Qatar to ask first before taking a picture of locals. Tourists usually tend to be excited to click pictures of the local people as the locals are seen in traditional outfits. It is common among the locals, especially women, to decline the requests of taking snaps.
Qatar is one of the most attractive tourists places among all of the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries. A number of tourists are attracted to the country throughout the year, as various festivals are held in the country in specious and iconic areas every year. However, photographs can be taken during these festivals.
It is also a well-known desert adventure spot. Tourists can enjoy conducting a photoshoot in the desert of Qatar. Also, it is an amazing spot to click pictures of the sunrise or sunset as the lightning is great in Qatar.
There are a few places in Qatar that are very famous tourists spots such as Katara, Aspire Zone, Al Bidda Park, etc. Each tourist spot has its own regulation with regard to clicking pictures as far as tourists are concerned.
