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28 January 2023

07 Rajab 1444

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Law No. 2 of 1980 on Antiquities

Law Summary Record Type: LawNumber: 2Date: 16/02/1980 Corresponding to 30/03/1400 HijriNumber of Articles: 43Status: In force

Official Gazette :Issue: 2Offcial Journal Issue Publication Date: 01/01/1980 Corresponding to 13/02/1400 HijriPage from: 14

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Regulation of Antiquity

22 Article - Amended

The ownership of a registered movable antiquity may be transferred. Whoever sells a registered movable antiquity shall present the antiquity first to the QMA to consider the purchase thereof with the price agreed by the two parties. The seller shall furnish the QMA with the name and domicile of the new purchaser.

23 Article - Amended

Any person who discovers a movable antiquity shall notify the competent department at QMA or the nearest police station within ten days of the discovery. The competent department may decide either to leave the antiquity in the discoverer's possession or to appropriate it upon payment to the discoverer of appropriate cash remuneration. In the case of notification to a police station, such station shall in turn immediately notify the concerned department of QMA

24 Article

The sale both of immovable antiquities in the State's possession and of movable antiquities in the State's museums is prohibited.

25 Article

Antiquities shall not be gifted unless strictly limited to the public interest. Provided, however, that a registered movable antiquity may be disposed of if similar versions of the same material, type, historical significance and artistic value are available. The decision to permit the gifting of antiquities shall be made by the Cabinet.

26 Article - Amended

Upon Cabinet approval, QMA may exchange or lend antiquities to museums and academic authorities in Arab and foreign countries in accordance with special agreements for this purpose.

27 Article - Amended

Trading in antiquities is prohibited, unless permitted by a license from QMA. Notwithstanding such permission, trading in antiquities shall be limited to registered antiquities or antiquities of unrestricted disposal. A license shall be granted in accordance with the rules and terms issued by the Cabinet.

28 Article - Amended

a. The export of antiquities is strictly prohibited. Movable antiquities may be exported, however, based on a decision of the board of trustees of QMA in cases where such export does not affect the archaeological or artistic heritage of Qatar.

An application to export antiquities shall be submitted on a special form mandated by QMA. However, QMA expressly reserves the right to grant or reject the application and to purchase any of the antiquities intended for export at the prices specified by the applicant.

29 Article - Amended

a. Antiquities imported to Qatar without an export license from the country of origin shall be held by the customs, post, security and other authorities. Such items shall subsequently be delivered under an official record to QMA, which shall investigate the matter accordingly.

If the investigation establishes that the antiquities have, with the importer's knowledge, been smuggled or otherwise taken out of the country of origin in violation of prevailing laws, they shall be administratively confiscated and considered as property of the State.
Such items may be returned to the country of origin based on reciprocity arrangements. However, if it is established that the importer acted in good faith, the board of trustees may, upon fair compensation to the importer, appropriate the items to the State.

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