The legal framework for criminal cases in Qatar
Criminal justice in Qatar rests on two main statutes: the Penal Code promulgated by Law No. 11 of 2004, as amended, which defines offences and their penalties; and the Criminal Procedure Code promulgated by Law No. 23 of 2004, as amended, which governs arrest, investigation, pre-trial detention, trial and appeals. The Public Prosecution investigates offences and brings and pursues criminal proceedings before the courts.
Core safeguards from the moment of arrest
- Referral to the Public Prosecution
- The judicial officer must hear the accused immediately after arrest and, where there is sufficient evidence, refer them to the Public Prosecution within 24 hours (Article 43).
- Questioning
- The Public Prosecution must question the accused within 24 hours of referral, then order their release or pre-trial detention (Article 43).
- Right to be informed and to a lawyer
- Anyone arrested or detained must be told immediately of the reasons and the charge, and has the right to contact whomever they choose and to seek the assistance of a lawyer (Article 113).
- Length of pre-trial detention
- A prosecution detention order lasts four days, extendable once for the same period; further extensions require a judge, up to 30 days at a time. Detention may not exceed six months unless the accused has been notified of referral to court, with stricter rules for extension in felony cases (Article 117).
In felony cases, a prosecutor may not question the accused or confront them with other accused persons or witnesses without first inviting their lawyer to attend, if the accused has named one, except in cases of flagrante delicto or urgency for fear of losing evidence. The accused may not be separated from their lawyer during the investigation.
Temporary release and challenging detention
The law allows temporary release of a person held in pre-trial detention, and release may be made conditional on bail set by the prosecutor or judge as appropriate. The accused, or someone acting on their behalf, may appeal a pre-trial detention order, but the deadline for that appeal is only 24 hours from the time the order is issued (Articles 157 and 158). The law also requires release once the time spent in pre-trial detention equals half of the maximum penalty for the offence.
Deadlines for appealing criminal judgments
| Route of challenge | Deadline | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Appeal by the convicted person | 15 days from delivery of a judgment in their presence or notification of a judgment in absentia, plus any distance allowance | Article 276 |
| Appeal by the Public Prosecution | 30 days from delivery of the judgment | Article 276 |
| Cassation challenge | 60 days from the judgment or from expiry of the opposition or appeal period, with grounds filed within the same period | Article 291 |
Common criminal matters we handle
- Fraud, breach of trust and forgery of documents.
- Financial crime and money laundering.
- Cybercrime, including online blackmail, defamation and hacking.
- Assault, bodily harm, insult and defamation.
- Travel bans linked to an investigation or trial (Articles 133 and 135).
What to prepare before calling a criminal lawyer in Qatar
- Details of the person detained, where they are held, the authority handling the case and any report number.
- Any summons, decision or record you have received, and copies of related documents.
- A short timeline of events and the names of potential witnesses.
- Messages, chats and money transfers connected to the accusation, without deleting or editing anything.
- A copy of the judgment and its date if the case is at the appeal stage.