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Main Page / Legislations / Law No. 8 of 1979 on Publications and Publishing / Chapter Two / Press Publications
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Law No. 8 of 1979 on Publications and Publishing

Law Summary Record Type: LawNumber: 8Date: 07/10/1979 Corresponding to 16/11/1399 HijriNumber of Articles: 102Status: In force
Official Gazette :Issue: 7Offcial Journal Issue Publication Date: 01/01/1979 Corresponding to 02/02/1399 HijriPage from: 3175
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Press Publications

  • 2 Article

    A publishing license from the Minister of Information shall be obtained for the issue and dissemination to the general public of any press Publications in Qatar.

  • 3 Article

    The application for a publishing license shall include the following information:
     
    a.                   The name, surname, nationality and domicile of the proprietor.
    b.                  The names of the editor-in-chief, sub-editors and publisher if any, and the respective nationality and domicile of each.
    c.                   The name of the press Publications, and the address of management and printing press. The name of the Publications may be distinctive and not similar or close to that of other Publications.
    d.                  The language and timing of the Publication.
    e.                   A statement indicating whether the Publications are political or non-political.
    The application shall be signed by the proprietor of the press publication, the editor-in-chief or sub editors, and the publisher if any. Applications shall be submitted to the Department of Publications and Publishing against an official receipt.

  • 4 Article

    Changes to the information provided in the application for a publishing license shall be reported to the Department of Publications and Publishing at least eight days in advance, unless such change is unexpected, in which case changes shall be reported within eight days of the occurrence thereof.

  • 5 Article

    The proprietor of the press publications shall deposit, along with the application for a license, a security of three thousand (3000) Riyals for each publication to be published three or more times a week. In all other cases a security of two thousand (2000) Riyals shall be deposited.
    Such security shall take the form of a guarantee against penalties imposed on or expenses incurred by the proprietor or editor-in-chief of the press publication. The security may be substituted by a bank guarantee.

  • 6 Article

    The proprietor of the press publications shall replenish the aforesaid security after each time it is reduced following the settlement of penalties and/or expenses.
    Where such replenishment does not occur forthwith, the proprietor shall comply within eight days of receipt of a notice from the Department of Publications and Publishing. 

  • 7 Article

    Press publications published outside Qatar may not relocate their location of publishing to Qatar, whether independently, annexed edition or by any other form, without a written permit from the Minister of Information to that effect in accordance with the provisions of the foregoing articles.

  • 8 Article

    No publishing operations shall commence before acquisition of the respective license.

  • 9 Article

    The proprietor of the press publications shall be:
     
    1. A Qatari national.
    2. Not less than twenty-one years of age.
    3. Free of a criminal conviction or disqualification for dishonesty, unless legally rehabilitated.
    4. A person of good conduct and goodwill.
     

  • 10 Article

    No person shall be permitted to enter the profession of journalism without first having obtained the relevant license from the Department of Publications and Publishing.

  • 11 Article

    In addition to fulfilling the requirements stipulated in Article 9, a journalist shall also:
     
    1. Be fluent in the Arabic language or the language in which the Publications is published.
    2. Not be engaged in any work with a foreign country.

  • 12 Article

    Where a journalist is not a Qatari national, he shall nevertheless fulfil the requirements stipulated in Articles 9 and 11 and shall also:
     
    1. Hold a certificate or degree in journalism from an accredited institute or college;
    2. Have been engaged with recognized press publishing houses for a period of at least three years;
    3. Be registered in a press or editors syndicate, or otherwise hold a press card issued by an official authority in his country of origin;
    4. Not engaged in any work other than that directly related to journalism while he is in Qatar.

  • 13 Article

    Each press publication shall have an editor-in-chief responsible for the overall supervision of content, or a number of sub-editors, each of whom shall engage in the supervision of a certain part of each publication.

  • 14 Article

    1. The editor-in-chief shall fulfil the requirements mentioned in Article 9 and 11 and the following requirements:
    • He shall possess the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to properly execute his functions.
    • He shall be a permanent resident of Qatar.
    • Where the editor-in-chief is a national of an Arab country, he shall also:
    •  Hold a certificate or degree in journalism from an accredited institute or college;
    • Have been engaged with recognized publishing houses for a period of at least three years;
    • Be registered in a press or editors syndicate, or otherwise hold a press card issued by an official authority in his country of origin;
    • Not engage in any work other than that directly related to publishing while he is in Qatar.
    •  The resolution exempting the editor-in-chief from Qatari nationality shall be issued by the Minister of Information. Such exemption shall indicate the name and nationality of the editor–in-chief and his term of employment, which shall not exceed two years unless renewed for a similar term(s) by a new resolution.
     

  • 15 Article

    Each issue of a press publication shall conspicuously display the names of the proprietor, editor-in-chief, publisher if any and the printing press, unless owned by the proprietor, as well as the date of publication, subscription charges and the price of the issue.
     

  • 16 Article

    The editor–in-chief shall publish official statements and data related to public interest, as provided by the Department of Publications and publishing, free of charge in the first issue of a press publications.

  • 17 Article

    Where a press publication in the state of Qatar publishes any false or misleading information detrimental to the public interest, the Director of the Publications and publishing Department may request the editor–in-chief to publish an appropriate correction.
     
    The press publication shall publish such correction free of charge immediately in the next issue, at the same place of the replaced article in the same script.
     
    This is applicable to all publications whether in Arabic or a foreign language.
    Where the press publication fails to publish the correction, its continued distribution in Qatar may be prohibited by a resolution of the Minister of Information.

  • 18 Article

    Where a press publication publishes insinuating, defamatory or insulting material, the aggrieved party shall be entitled to publish a rebuttal as indicated in Article 17. Where such rebuttal exceeds the normal length of a standard article, the editor–in-chief may claim from the aggrieved party the costs associated with the extra publishing space in accordance with the approved advertising tariffs.

  • 19 Article

    Where a press publication publishes insinuating, defamatory or insulting material relating to a deceased person, the lawful successors shall be entitled to publish a rebuttal in accordance with the provisions of Article 18. Such rebuttal shall be once and whenever insinuating, defamatory or insulting material relating to a deceased person appears.
    Where such insinuating, defamatory or insulting material is addressed to a public servant, or a ministry, or an official or unofficial agency, each shall be entitled to publish a rebuttal in accordance with Article 18.

  • 20 Article

    The editor–in-chief may not publish a rebuttal in the following cases:
     
    a.       Where the Publications has ex meromotu issued an appropriate correction to the insinuating, defamatory or insulting material;
    b.      Where the rebuttal bears a false name or signature.
    c.       Where the rebuttal is in a language other than the language of the Publication;
    d.      Where the rebuttal contains language that violates the law or is detrimental to the press publication or to third parties;
    e.       Where the rebuttal is submitted after a period of 60 days has elapsed following publications of the insinuating, defamatory or insulting material.
     

  • 21 Article

    Where the editor–in-chief declines to publish the rebuttal for reasons other than those stipulated in Article 20, the Minister of Information may issue a resolution compelling publication of the rebuttal. In this case, the press publication shall abide with the publication. This decision shall not be appealed before any judicial body.

  • 22 Article

    Publications published in Qatar may not publish any advertisement or statement by a foreign country or body without the approval of the Minister of Information. This prohibition shall not affect commercial advertisements published in accordance with approved tariffs.
     

  • 23 Article

    Each press publication shall deliver free of charge to the Department of Publications and Publishing, against a receipt, six copies of each issue or supplement immediately after publication thereof.

  • 24 Article

    By a resolution of the Council of Ministers, the press publication may be suspended for a period not exceeding one year or its license may be revoked if: it is proved that its policies are not in the national interest; or if it is established that it is serving the interests of a foreign country or through receipt of subsidies, support or any other benefit from a foreign country or entity, without the permission of the Minister of Information.

  • 25 Article

    In exceptional circumstances that require extraordinary urgent measures, the press publication may be suspended for a period not exceeding three months by a resolution of the Minister of Information.

  • 26 Article

    The proprietor of the press publication shall have the right to appeal to the Council of Ministers against the resolution to suspend or revoke the license thereof, within one month of the resolution. The resolution of the Council of Ministers on this issue shall be final.

  • 27 Article

    The license of the press publication may be revoked by a resolution of the Minister of Information in the following cases:
     
    a.                   Where the proprietor requests revocation.
    b.                  Where the publication is not published for a period of six months from the date of issue of the license.
    c.                   Where the publication, if published at regular intervals, is not published within six months or, if published at irregular intervals, is not published for a period of six consecutive months.
    d.                  Where any change in the press publication resulted in failure to fulfil any requirements stipulated herein.
    e.                   Where the proprietor fails to replenish the security or guarantee referred to in Article 6.
    f.                    Where the proprietor is deceased and his successors are unable to publish the Publications regularly within one year of the date of his death.
     

  • 28 Article

    The proprietor of the press publication may assign the publication to other Qatari nationals, provided that written consent is obtained from the Minister of Information. The new proprietor shall be subject to the provisions herein.

  • 29 Article

    The provisions of this Law shall be applicable to news agencies that provide news, images, figures and other press material to publishing houses.
    Reporters operating as correspondents for news agencies, press publications, radio stations or Arab and foreign TV channels shall not engage in any such activity within Qatar without a license from the Department of Publications and Publishing.

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