Qatari law does away with free speech

Indiana Khalid

Qatar little applies to itself the principles of freedom and human rights its media tools, including the news channel al-Jazeera, keep asking other Arab states to apply.

This is turning into a laughing stock among the Qatari opposition. Amendments introduced recently to the Qatari Penal Code divulge the phony nature of Qatari claims to freedom and human rights.

The amendments bar members of the public from talking about politics or criticizing state institutions. They impose a gag on all members of the Qatari public.

Loose law

The Qatari newspaper, al-Rai, published the articles of the new law on January 8. It stipulates deterring penalties for those who talk about Qatari public affairs, both inside and outside Qatar. It penalizes those who shake confidence in state institutions, harm national interests or Qatar’s social order.

Qatari activists criticized the law and said it augurs bad for freedoms in the tiny Gulf state.

“A law that criminalizes freedom of speech is one that kills innovativeness and violates the constitution and human rights,” Ahmed bin Saeed al-Kawari wrote on Twitter.

Qatari activist Sultan Abdullah also criticized increasing restrictions to free speech in Qatar and the ability of the members of the public to lash out at their state institutions.

You cannot get blood out of stones

Egyptian terrorism expert, Rid Yacoub, accused the Qatari regime of being hostile to all types of freedoms.

This regime, he said, keeps asking other Arab states to show respect to freedoms.

“The strange thing is that Qatar never shows respect to the same freedoms,” Yacoub told The Reference.

He added that the Qatari regime uses the same freedoms in order to achieve its own goals.

He cited the example of the Qatari conduct in Sudan where Qatar works to incite the people against the transitional government with the aim of reinstituting the Muslim Brotherhood in power.