THE JUDICIARY

Ever since it gained its political independence and embarked onto its era of constitutional and political development, Qatar has been keen to support and organize the judiciary along contemporary constitutional trends. The State of Qatar recognizes that progress, security and peace in any society are best measured by the scope and extent of justice and law supremacy provided for by the existing judicial system in that society.

Along the country's course of democratization and openness, comes the trial of the accused of the aborted coup attempt in 1996 to prove Qatar's sincerity to apply the rule of law. The court sessions were open for journalists, foreign observers and the public; and in an unprecedented practice in the entire gulf region two senior officials, H.H. the Prime Minister and H.E. the Minister of Foreign Affairs were called to testify before the tribunal. This was another clear indication of the supremacy of the law and the equality of all before it.

Courts of justice

Judges are independent and their decisions are taken and implemented in accordance with the law. The proceedings of the courts of law are open to the public unless the court decides of its own accord or at the request of an opposing party to hold them in closed session if that could best serve the interests of public decency or general order. In all cases, sentences are pronounced in public sessions.

Arabic is the official language in the courts of law in Qatar. The court hears the evidence of non-Arabic speaking opposing parties and witnesses through a translator who works under oath and observes all honesty, integrity and sincerity.

Courts of justice are divided into the following three categories:

The criminal court which comprises the following two courts

• The Lower Criminal Court
• The Higher Criminal Court

The civil courts which comprise the following courts

• The Lower Civil Court
• The Higher Civil Court

The Court of Appeal

The Labor Court was abolished in accordance with the law No (13) for 1990 and was replaced by the civil and commercial proceedings law.

The Criminal Court

This court of law hears and decides on all crimes specified in the laws of Qatar except for the crimes, which are excluded by a special legislation.

Shari'a Court

This court is the only authority to hear and decide on the crimes designated in the 17th, the 22nd and the 23rd chapters on the Qatari criminal law in case the accused is a Muslim.

The Lower Criminal Court

This court hears and decides on cases of minor offenses and misdemeanors. It is presided over by a single judge called the lower criminal court judge who discharges his authority under the provisions of article (3).

The Higher Criminal Court

This court hears and decides on all cases of major crimes as well as appeals filed on the sentences issued by the lower criminal court on minor offenses. This entails discharging appeal procedures before the court of appeal after which the sentence becomes final.

The authorities of this court are vested on a tribunal comprising a judge called the president of the higher criminal court and two of the lower court and lower civil court judges as members, who are deputized by the president of courts by a decision to aid the president of the higher criminal court in evaluating the proceedings.

The Lower Civil Court

This court hears and decides on all civil and commercial cases in which the disputed amount of money does not exceed the sum of QR30000.
The lower civil court is composed of a single judge called the lower civil court judge.

The Higher Civil Court

This court hears an decides on all civil and commercial cases where the disputed amount of money is in excess of QR30000 in addition to the cases that involve unspecified reparations and cases of personal status of non-Muslims. It is also authorized to decide on the appeals filed against the rulings of the lower civil court.

The court is formed of three judges with the senior of them presiding over the court and holding the title of president of higher civil court. Each of the other two judges holds the title of higher civil court judge.

The Court of Appeal

This court is responsible for deciding on the appeals filed against the sentences issued from the higher criminal and civil courts and the labor court.

The appeal court is composed of the president of courts of justice or one of the deputies of the president of the court of appeal as chair and two deputy chairs or judges of the court of appeal as members.

President of Courts of Justice

In addition to the authorities invested in him by this law or any other law applied in the state of Qatar, the president of courts of justice holds the following authorities:

• Organizing judiciary work at courts of law and distributing it between the judges.

• Deputizing any of the judges of the courts of justice to undertake the duties of any other judge of these courts on a temporary basis.

• Taking the decision to take disciplinary actions against the employees of the courts of justice in accordance with the general civil service law.

The president of courts of justice is the only official to report to the Minister of Justice on the organizational aspects of the courts of law in terms of administrative, financial, supervision and inspection affairs in addition to supervising the behavior of judges and managing and inspecting their financial and administrative affairs.

Presidency of Shari'a Courts

The Presidency is composed of the following main units:

Shari'a appeal court which comprises

• 1st stage
• 2nd stage

Preliminary Shari'a court which comprises the following departments

• Marital affairs and rights
• Major crimes and hudood
• Legacies
• Implementation

Administrative and financial affairs

The technical office

The judicial inspection office

The most outstanding achievements of the Shari'a courts during the years 2000 and 2001:

1. Finalizing the personal status law bill.
2. Finalizing a number of regulations to organize work in the field of criminal law, legacy distribution and judicial and administrative training.
3. Organizing the 3rd and 4th judicial forums.
4. Organizing the administrative and financial affairs department and assigning its responsibilities.

Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs

The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs is responsible for the following:

• To recommend the policies and plans concerning the Ministry and supervise the implementation thereof.

• To propagate the message of Islam and act to promote the influence of Islamic ideals in the progress and well being of mankind.

• To establish and supervise mosques and ensure that they fulfill their role as best as required.

• To disseminate the Islamic culture and enhance religious awareness utilizing all suitable means.

• To supervise and mange endowments' affairs and invest their revenue.

• To manage and distribute the inheritance among beneficiaries and act as trustee for minors and persons with diminished responsibility.

• To discharge administrative affairs and activities of al-Zakat funds.

The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs is composed of the following departments:

Endowments Department, Islamic Affairs Department, Da'wa and Guidance Department, Mosques Affairs Department, Department of Legacies and Minors Affairs, Administrative and Financial Affairs Department and Researches and Information Center.

The achievements of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs in 2001:

• Establishing a purpose-built quarters for the Endowments Departments accommodating all its sections.

• Establishing al-Wa'ab Quraan Memorizing Center.

• Establishing Juwairiya Bint al-Haris Center

• Establishing the endowments administrative tower at the cost of about QR96 million.

• Establishing al-Danah residential compound, the second endowment investment project involving the construction of 131 villas.

• Finishing the first stage of revamping the computer systems in the Ministry's headquarters.

• Issuing 3000 copies of the book 'Issues the Muslim Can't Afford to Ignore' and 5000 copies of the book 'A Summary Biography of the Leader of Mankind, Mohammed peace and blessings of Allah be upon him'.

• Distributing 7200 booklets, several recordings and flyers among the government departments.

• Receiving 3 juma'a mosques (where daily and Friday congregation prayers are performed) and 3 furood mosques (where only daily prayers can be performed).

• Issuing the edition No 83 of al-Urnma book under the headline: Family Disintegration and Proposed Remedies.

Future Projects

• Building Qatar Center for the Introduction of Islam, which includes a mosque, administration and educational quarters for expatriate communities and endowment shops. The revenue from the endowment shops will be assigned for the center's promulgation activities.

• Building Qatar Mosque, which will accommodate 8 thousand worshippers.

Useful Numbers

Local Attorneys in Qatar