WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION 
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DU COMMERCE 
ORGANIZACION MUNDIAL DEL COMERCIO IPINIlIQAT/C/l 
25 June 2002 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects of 
Intellectual Property Rights (02-3517) 
Original: 
MAIN DEDICATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 
LAWS AND REGULATIONS NOTIFIED UNDER 
ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE AGREEMENT 
QATAR anglaisl 
ingles 
The present document reproduces the textl of the Law on the Protection of Copyright 
and Related Rights, as notified by Qatar under Article 63.2 of the Agreement (see document 
IP/N/l/QAT/2). 
Conseil des aspects des droits de propriete 
intellectuelle qui touchent au commerce 
PRINCIPALES LOIS ET REGLEMENTATIONS CONSACREES A LA 
PROPRIETE INTELLECTUELLE NOTIFIEES AU TITRE 
DE L'ARTICLE 63:2 DE L'ACCORD 
QATAR 
Le present document contient le texte1 de la Loi sur la protection du droit d'auteur et 
des droits connexes, notifiee par le Qatar au titre de l'article 63:2 de l'Accord (voir le document 
IP/N/lIQAT/2). 
Consejo de los Aspectos de los Derechos de Propiedad 
Intelectual relacionados con el Comercio 
PRINCIP ALES LEYES Y REGLAMENTOS DEDICADOS A LA 
PROPIEDAD INTELECTUAL NOTIFICADOS EN VIRTUD 
DEL pARRAFO 2 DEL ARTiCULO 63 DEL ACUERDO 
QATAR 
En el presente documento se reproduce el textol de la Ley de Protecci6n del Derecho de 
Autor y de los Derechos Conexos, notificada por Qatar en virtud de 10 dispuesto en el parrafo 2 
del articulo 63 del Acuerdo (vease el documento IP/N/l/QAT/2). 
I In English only. The text in the original language will be available for consultation by interested 
Delegations at the WTO Secretariat.!En anglais seulement. Les delegations interessees pourront consulter le 
texte dans sa langue d'origine, au Secretariat de l'OMC.lEn ingles solamente. Las delegaciones interesadas 
podnin consultar en la Secretaria de la OMC el texto en su idiom a original. IP/~I1/QAT/C/J 
Page 2 
LA W ON THE PROTECTION 
OF COPYRIGHT AND RELATED 
RIGHTS IP/N/1/QAT/C/I 
Page 3 
LAW ON THE PROTECTION OF 
COPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS 
n:\orgarablshared\corresp\country\qatar\trademark.eopyrightlaws.doe 
IQ/pc 
February 20. 2001 I P/N/lIQATIC/l 
Page 4 
21.12.99 
LAW No.C .... ) OF 1999 
ON THE PROTECTION OF COPYRIGHT 
AND RELATED RIGHTS 
We, Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, 
Having seen the amended Provisional Constitution, particularly Articles 23, 34 and 51 
thereof, and 
The Qatar Penal Court promulgated by Law No. 14 of 1971, as revised, and 
Law No. 8 of 1979 on Press and Publication, and 
Law No. 25 of 1995 on the Protection of Works ofIntellect and Copyrights, and 
Decree-Law No. 14 of 1982 concerning the Deposit of Works at the Qatar Public Library, and 
Decree-Law No. 16 of 1993 concerning the organization of activities pertaining to 
advertising, public relations, artistic production and works of art, and 
Decree-Law No. 22 of 1993 concerning organization of the Ministry of Finance, Economy 
and Trade, and 
Decree No. 50 of 1986 concerning the accession of the State of Qatar to the Arab Agreement 
for the Protection of Authors 'Rights, and I P/NIlIQA TICIl 
Page 5 
Decree No. 24 of 1995 concerning the accession of the State of Qatar to the Agreement 
establishing in the World Trade Organization and the attached Related Multi-Lateral 
Trade Agreements, and 
Decree No. 11 of 1997 concerning the establishment of the Qatari Public Broadcasting 
Corporation, and 
The Proposal of the Minister of Finance, Economy and Trade, and 
The Draft Law submitted by the Council of Ministers, and 
Having consulted Advisory Council, 
Have promulgated the following Law: IPIN!l IQAT/C/I 
Page 6 
CHAPTER I 
Definitions 
Article 1 
In the implementation of this Law, the following words and expressions shall have the 
meaning given for each, unless the context requires otherwise. 
Ministry: 
Minister: 
Office: 
Work: 
Author: 
Year: 
Publication: 
Reproduction: 
Audiovisual work: The Ministry of Finance, Economy and Trade 
The Minister of Finance, Economy and Trade 
The Office of the Protection of Copyrights and Related Rights 
Any original artistic or literary work 
Any physical person who invented the work 
Calendar year 
Reproduction of works or sound recordings to satisfy the needs 
of the public, subject to the consent of the Author, copyright 
owner or sound recording producer. 
Production of one or more copies of work by means of printing, 
painting, engraving, photography, in form or in any manner, 
iIi:Cluding permanent or temporary storage in electronic form. 
Work that consists of a series of related images which imparts 
the impression of motion, with or without accompanying Sound recording: 
Producer of an 
audio-visual or 
sound recording: 
Broadcasting: 
A collective work: 
Work of joint 
authorship: 
Work of applied 
art: 
Communication 
to the public: IP/N/l/QA TIC/1 
Page 7 
sounds, susceptible of being made visible, and where 
accompanied by sounds, susceptible of being made audible. 
Any exclusively oral fixation of the sounds of a performance or 
of other sounds, regardless of the method by which the sound or 
a performance are embodied and regardless of the medium in 
which the work is embodied; it does not include a fixation of 
sounds accompanying an audiovisual work. 
A physical person who, or entity which, takes the initiative to, 
and has responsibility for making the audiovisual or aural work. 
Communication of a work, a performance or a sound recording 
to the public by wireless transmission, including transmission by 
satellite. 
A work created by two or more physical persons at the initiative 
and under the direction of a physical person who, or legal entity 
which, takes the responsibility of publishing the work under his 
or its name provided that it is impossible to distinguish the 
individual contribution of each. 
A work in the making of which two or more persons participated 
provided that it is not considered as a "collective work". 
An artistic creation with utilitarian functions or incorporated in a 
useful article whether made by hand or produced on an 
in.Jlustrial scale. 
The transmission by wire or without wire of images or sounds, 
or both, of a work, a performance, a sound recording or a rp/N/] IQA T lell 
Page 8 
broadcast, irrespective of whether such persons can receive the 
image~ or sounds at the same place and time, or at different 
places/times individually chosen by them. 
Owner of copyright~ One of the following persons: 
Performers: -The Author 
-Where the economic rights are originally invested in a physical 
person other than the Author or a legal entity, that person or 
entity. 
-A physical person or legal entity to whom the ownership of the 
economic rights has been transferred. 
Singers, musicians, and other persons who sing, deliver, 
declaim, playing, or otherwise perform literary or artistic works 
or expressions of folklore. 
Public Performance: Performing the work, either directly or by means of any device 
or process, by recitation, playing, dancing, acting or otherwise 
performing the work. Performance is deemed to be public if it 
can be perceived at a place where persons outside the normal 
circle of the family and its closest acquaintances are or can be 
present. 
Related-rights: 
National folklore: Rights that protect performers, producers of sound recordings 
and broadcasting organizations. 
Any expression which consists of distinctive elements of the 
traditional artistic heritage, originating or developed in the State 
of Qatar and reflects its artistic heritage, shall be considered as 
national folklore, including in particular the following 
expresslOns: IP/NI1 IQATIC/l 
Page 9 
(1) oral expressions such as tales, popular poetry and riddles; 
(2) musical expressions such as popular songs accompanied 
by music; 
(3) motion expressions such as popular dances, plays, artistic 
forms and rituals, whether or not incorporated into material 
form; 
(4) tangible expressions such as: 
(a) products or popular art particularly drawings with 
lines and colors, engravings, sculptures, ceramics, pottery, 
woodwork, mosaic, metal, jewelry, hand-woven bags, 
knitting, carpets, textiles, and; 
(b) musical instruments; 
( c) architectural forms. 
CHAPTERIl 
Scope and Provisions of Protection 
Article 2 
Protection under this Law is conferred to authors of original literary and artistic works, 
irrespective of the value, quality, purpose or mode of expression of these works. 
Protection shall cover particularly the following works: 
(1) books, pamphlets and other writings; 
(2) works delivered orally such as lectures, addresses, sermons or similar works such 
as poems and hymns; lPINI I IQA TIC 11 
Page 10 
(3) dramatic and dramatico musical works; 
(4) musical works, whether or not they include accompanying \-vords; 
(5) choreographic works and pantomimes; 
(6) audiovisual works; 
(7) photographic and similar works; 
(8) works of applied art, whether handicraft or produced on an industrial scale; 
(9) works of drawing and painting with lines and colors, architecture, sculpture, 
decorated arts, engravings, sketches, designs and three-dimensional geographic or 
topographic works; 
(10) computer programs. 
Protection shall also extend to the title of the work if it is original. 
Article 3 
Notwithstanding the protection provided by the preceding Article, the following derived 
works shall be protected by the provision of this Law: 
(1) works of translation, summary, alteration explanation and other modifications; 
(2) collection of encyclopedias and selections if creative in the selection and 
arrangement of their subject matter; 
(3) data bases if creative in the arrangement of selection of their subject matter; IPIN/I/QAT/ell 
Page I I 
(4) Collections of works and expressions of folklore if creative by reason of 
arrangements or selection of their subj ect matter. 
Article 4 
The protection provided by this Law shall not cover the following works: 
(l) laws, legal provisions, administrative decisions, international treaties, official 
documents or any official translation thereof. 
However, collections of sucTi-material are protected if they involve creative work 
in the selection and arrangement of their subject matter. 
(3) ideas, procedures, operational methods, mathematical concepts, principles and 
mere data. However, any derivative expression thereof shall be covered by 
protection. 
Article 5 
The provisions of this Law shall apply to the following: 
(l) works of Qatari Authors published within or outside the State; 
(2) works which are published for the first time inside the State, and works which are 
published for the first time in another State and then published in Qatar within 
thirty days of the first publication date, irrespective of the nationality or place of 
residence of their authors; 
(3) audiovisual works whose producer has his headquarters or place of residence in 
Qatar; IP/N/l/QAT/C/l 
Page 12 
(4) architectural works constructed in Qatar, or any other artistic work incorporated in 
a building or any other construction situated in Qatar. 
The provisions of this Law shall also apply to works protected by an international 
agreement or a Court in v.:~ich Qatar is a party, and in accordance with its provisions. 
Article 6 
No work of any kind shall be published, displayed or circulated unless accompanied by 
the following: 
(1) Certificate of origin indicating the name of the author or the person to whom the 
(2) Declaration, by the importer or the owner, regarding display or circulation, 
specifying the geographic area or place within which the display or circulation is 
authorized. CHAPTER III 
Author's economic and moral rights 
Article 7 
Economic Rights IP/N/l/QAT/C/l 
Page 13 
The Author or the owner of the copyright shall have the exclusive right to carry out or 
to authorize any of the following acts: 
(1) reproduction of the work; 
(2) translation of the work; 
(3) making excerpts, musical arrangement or other transformation of the work; 
(4) distribution to the public of the work through sale; 
(5) rental to the public of audiovisual works or computer programs. However, the 
right to rental shall not apply to rental of computer programs where the program 
itself is not the essential object of the rental; 
(6) public perfoIDlance of the work; 
(7) communication of the work to the public. I PIN/1IQATIC/1 
Page 14 
Article 8 
Moral Rights 
Independently of his economic rights, and even where he is no longer the OW11er of the 
said rights, the author of a work shall have the following rights: 
(1) To have his name or pseudonym indicated on his work or not to have his name 
indicated on his work; 
(2) To object to any distortion, deformation or any other modification of his work; 
(3) To object to any distortion and to prohibit any other use of his work which would 
be prejudicial to his honor or reputation. 
The rights provided for in the preceding Articles are imprescriptible and perpetual. 
Article 9 
The author may transfer any of his economic rights, provided for by this Law, to other 
person or persons. The transfer of the economic right shall be in vvTiting and shall specify 
explicitly and separately each disposal right, indicating the duration of disposal or transfer, its 
manner and quantity, the purpose and the place. 
Article 10 
The author shall abstain from any act that might prevent the assignee to use the right 
assigned to him. Nevertheless, the author may withdraw his work from circulation or 
introduce any modification through omission or addition to it. In the event of disagreement, 
the author shall be obliged to pay a fair compensation to the prejudiced party. Article 11 IP/N/I/QAT/C/l 
Page 15 
Any disposal of the author of his future in intellectual production shall be considered as 
null and void. 
Article 12 
Any disposal by the author of the original copy of the work shall not be considered as 
an assignment of the authors' rights. 
Article 13 
The author shall have the exclusive right to publish his letters. However, he may not 
exercise such right without the pennission of the recipient, where the publication is likely to 
be prejudicial to the latter. 
Article 14 
A person who takes photographs or of a person shall be prohibited from publishing, 
displaying or distributing the original picture or copy thereof without the pennission of the 
said person; this provision shall not apply if the publication of the photograph or portrait was 
done on the occasion of a public event, or if relating to public figures or world known 
celebrities, or if authorized by public authorities for the public interest. 
The person represented in the photograph may authorize its publication in newspapers 
and magazines and other similar publications without the authorization of the photographer, 
unless otherwise agreed. 
These provisions shall apply irrespective of the method used to produce the photograph. IPINI J IQA Tiel 1 
Page 16 
CHAPTER IV 
Duration of protection 
Article 15 
The economic rights shall be protected during the life of the Author and for fifty 
calendar years after his death. 
-in the case of the work of joint authorship, the rights shall be protected for fifty 
calendar years from the date of the death of the last surviving co-author. 
-in the case of audiovisual or collective work, the rights shall be protected for fifty 
years as from the date on which the work was first published. For works that are not 
published, the term of protection shall run from the first day of the calendar year after 
the completion date of the work. 
-in the case of a work published under a pseudonym or published anonymously, the 
rights shall be protected for fifty calendar years from the first day of the calendar year 
followipg the date on which the work was first published. Nevertheless, where the 
pseudonym used by the author leaves no doubt as to the author's identity, the tenn of 
protection shall be calculated as from the first calendar year following the author's 
death. This provision applies where the author reveals his identity before the 
expiration of the protection period. 
Article 16 
In case where the protection runs as from the date in which the work was published, 
under the provision of this Law, the date of the first publication shall be considered, 
irrespective of subsequent publications, unless the author has, on re-publication, introduced 
substantial changes as to consider the work new. If the work is composed of several parts or, IPINIl/QAT/ell 
Page 17 
published separately at different stages, each part or shall be considered as a separate work, in 
calculating the periods of protection. 
Article 17 
The moral rights provided for in this Law shall be perpetual and transferable by 
inheritance after the Author's death. Where the author dies without an inheritor, the 
competent Minist.j shall undertake the protection of such rights. 
CHAPTER V 
Restrictions on copvright and related right 
Article 18 
The following uses of a protected work are permitted without the Author's 
authorization: 
(1) using the work exclusively for personal use, through reproduction, translation, 
quotation, musical arragement, acting, broadcast listening, television viewing, 
photography or by any other means; 
(2) using the work by way of illustration for teaching, through publications, 
broadcasts, sound or visual recordings, films or by any other means, to the extent 
justified by the purpose, provided that the use is non-profit making and the source 
and the name of the author are indicated. 
The uses provided for in the two preceding items shall not conflict with a normal 
exploitation of the work or unreasonably prejudice the legitimate interests of the 
author; 
(3) citing paragraph of a work in another work for the purpose of illustration, 
demonstration or criticism, within the acceptable practice and as justified by the 
purpose, provided that the source and the name of the author are indicated. IPIN/l/QATIC/1 
Page 18 
Article 19 
The reproduction in a newspaper or periodical, the broadcasting or other communication 
to the public of an article-published in a newspaper or a periodical on current political, 
economic, social, cultural or religious topics or a broadcast work of the same character, shall 
be permitted. This permission is subject to the obligation to clearly indicate the source and 
the name of the author, when known. 
Nevertheless, this exception shall not apply where the authorization right of 
reproduction or communication to the public is explicitly reserved by the author. 
It is also permitted to reproduce any work that can be seen or heard through informatory 
display of current events, photography or television or any other information mass-media, 
provided it remains within the information objective determined, with an indication to the 
author's name. 
Article 20 
The reproduction, in a single copy, or the adaptation of a computer program by the 
rightful owner of a copy of that computer program shall be allowed to the extent justified by 
the initial purpose, or for the purpose of preservation or replacement of an original copy or an 
adaptation thereof; this right shall expire in the event that the possession of the computer 
program ceases to be lawful. 
Article 21 
(1) The reproduction is allowed for teaching purposes in educational institutions the 
activities of which do not serve direct or indirect commercial gain, of articles, short works or 
extracts of works, to the extent justified by the purpose provided that: 
(a) The act of reproduction is an isolated one occurring, if repeated, on 
separate and unrelated occasions, and IP/N/l/QA T/C/] 
Page ]9 
(b) There is no collective license available for reproduction by a 
competent authority in the collective management of rights of wh 
the educational institution is or should be aware. 
(c) The name ofthe author and me title of me work shall be indic ate 
far as practicable on all copies. 
(2) Any library or archive whose activities do not serve direct or indirect g 
may make a single copy of th:= work by reprographic reproduction 
Ca) Where the reproduced work is a pubhsned article, a summary -er, 
extract of work where reproduction is to satisfy the needs of a '::J." 
person, provided that: 
-the library or archive is satisfied that the copy will be used sde; 
the purposes of study, scholarship or research, 
-the act of reproduction is an isolated cas';; occurring, if repea1e ll 
separate and umelated occ:].sions, and 
-there is no collective license available f~)r reproduction by '..t 
competent authority in the collective man;lgemerlt of righ[::; 0f V/;­
the library or archive is or should be aware. 
Cb) The reproduction is permitted where the copy is made with the <11C 
preserving the original copy or, when necessary, replacing a lost 
destroyed or rendered tmusable copy in the permanent collecti.)n 0:­
another similar library or archive" pro'iided that: 
-it is impossible to obtain such a copy ;l."1der re3.sonable ccnditl,..:-n:::, 
~ 
-the act of reprographic reproduction is All isolmed case. I P/N/lIQAT/C/1 
Page 20 
Article 22 
Broadcasting organizations may prepare, for the purposes of their broadcasts and by 
their own means, a provisional recording of a protected work they are authorized to broadcast 
to the public. Such a copy shall be destroyed within one year from the date of its preparation 
with the exception of recordings of documentary nature. 
Article 23 
Any physical person may, without the authorization of the Author, import a copy of a 
work for his own personal purposes. 
Article 24 
The press or other information media may publish, without the authorization of the 
author, speeches, lectures, as well as legal proceedings or similar works displayed openly to 
the public, provided that the name of the author is clearly indicated. The author shall have the 
exclusive right to publish such works in one or more publications or other means as he deems 
appropriate. 
Article 25 
Musical bands or arms forces may, without the authorization of the author, play or 
perform published work in as much as such playing or performance does not produce directly 
or indirectly any financial revenue. 
Article 26 
The restrictions on economic rights provided for in this Chapter shall apply mutatis 
mutandis on the rights of performers, producers of sound recordings and broadcasting 
organizations. Article 27 TP/N/l/QAT/C/l 
Page 21 
Ca) Any Qatari citizen may obtain from the Minister or his delegate a non-exclusive 
and non-assignable license for the translation into Arabic of a foreign work, 
published in~a printed form or any other form, and for the publication of this 
translation in a printed form or any other form, after three years from the date of 
the first publication of this work and provided that no translation of this work into 
P..rabic was previously published in Qatar by the owner of the translation right or 
with his consent or upon the depletion of the translated editions. 
(b) Any Qatari citizen may obtain from the Minister or his delegate an exclusive and 
non-assignable license to reproduce and publish any published work according to 
the following conditions: 
(1) lapse of three years from the date of the first publication of any published 
work related to technology, natural science, physics or mathematics, or after 
seven years from the first publication of works of poetry, theatre, music, art 
books and novels, or after five years from the first publication of other 
published works, and 
(2) copies of the work were not distributed in the State of Qatar to satisfy the 
needs of the public or for school or university education by the owner of the 
reproduction right by or with his consent and for a price similar to the prices 
of similar works in the State of Qatar, and 
(3) the published copy is sold according to the provisions of this paragraph for a 
price which is similar or less than the price provided for in item (2 ) of this 
paragraph. 
(c) The translation licenses provided for in paragraph Ca) of this :~.rticle are granted 
for the purposes of school and university education or research, whereas 
reproduction licenses, provide for in paragraph Cb) of this Article are granted only 
for the use in school or university education. IP/l\'/I/QATIC/I 
Page 22 
(d) Where a translation or reproduction license is granted, the author of the original 
translated or reproduced work shall 'ue entitled to a fair compensation in 
conformity with the criteria of economic rights applied for voluntary licenses 
between persons in the State of Qatar and persons in the author's country. 
(e) The conditions and procedure of grant of licenses, provided for in this Article, are 
prescribed by a decision of the Minister. 
CHAPTER VI 
Provisions relating to the work after the death of the author 
Article 28 
The copyright provided for in this Law is wholly or partly transferable by inheritance or 
legal assignment. 
Article 29 
(1) When the author includes in his will the non-publication, or publication at a fixed 
date for his work, his will shall be respected accordingly. 
(2) Where the author, or one of the co-authors, dies without an inheritor, his share 
shall accrue to those who are entitled to it in accordance with the provisions of 
the Islamic Sharia. 
Article 30 
If the inheritors or successors of the author do not exercise the rights transferred to 
them, and if the Minister is ofthe opinion that the publication of the work would be in the 
public interest, he may request, by registered mail, the inheritors of the author to publish the 
work. If they do not publish the work within a year from the date of the request, the Minister 
may order the publication of the work against a fair compensation to be paid to the inheritors. Article 31 IP/N/l/QA T/CIl 
Page 23 
In case of a work published by the inheritors for the first time after the death of the 
author, the work shall be protected for fifty years as from the date of the first publication. 
CHAPTER VII 
Provisions related to some works 
Article 32 
National folklore shall be the public property of the State. 
The State, represented by the Ministry shall protect national folklore by all legal means, 
and shall act as the author of folklore works in facing any deformation, modification or 
commercial exploitation. 
Article 33 
In case several persons participate in the creation of a work, the co-authors shall be the 
original owners of the economic rights of that work. A co-author may not, alone, exercise 
rights of authorship unless all co-authors agree to that in writing. Any dispute shall be settled 
by the competent tribunal. Each co-author shall have the right to file a case against any 
copyright violation. This right is transmittable to the inheritors of any of the co-authors. 
In case several persons participate in the creation of a work and the role of each of them 
in the joint work is distinguishable, each person shall have the right to exploit his part 
separately, without prejudice to the exploitation of the joint work, unless they agree 
otherwise. IPINI I IQA TIC/! 
Page 24 
Article 34 
In the case of a collective work, the physical or moral person who initiates and directs 
the wor~< shall be the original O'NIler of the copyright, unless otherwise provided in the 
contract. 
Article 35 
In the case of co-authorship of a musical work, the music composer shall have the 
exclusive right to authorize the public performance, execution, publication, reproduction or 
communication to the public ofthe whole work, without prejudice to the rights of the author 
of the literary component of the work. 
The same provision shall apply to choreographic works accompanied by music, shows 
accompanied by music and to any other similar works. 
The author of the literary component of the work shall have the exclusive right to 
publish his own part. He may not, however, use this component at the basis or another similar 
work, unless otherwise agreed. 
Article 36 
Co-authorship of an audiovisual work includes the following: 
(1) author of the scenario or the \vritten idea; 
(2) author of the dialogue; 
(3) editor of the existirigJiterary work, adapting it to the audiovisual work; 
(4) composer of the music it especially compose for the audiovisual work; IP/NI1/QATIC/l 
Page 25 
(5) producer, ifhe exercises an effective control and provides positive intellectual 
input to realize the work in all its aspects. 
Vlhere the audiovisual work is adapted or extracted from another previous work, the 
author of the previous work shall be considered as a co-author of the new work. His name 
shall be explicitly mentioned in reference to the adaptation or extraction. 
Article 37 
If any of the co-authors of an audiovisual work fails to complete his assigned part, the 
remaining co-authors shall not be prevented from using the part already accomplished, 
notwithstanding his rights as a co-author ifhis failure to complete the work was justifiable. 
Where his failure was of his own free will, without justifiable reasons, he shall be deprived of 
any rights that may accrue to him by virtue of the part he has accomplished. 
Article 38 
If the authors of a literary text, scenario and dialogue, and the producer and music 
composer collectively create an audiovisual work, neither of them shall have the right to 
prevent the production or display of such work, without prejudice to the moral and economic 
rights of the dissenter. 
The author of the literary or musical component of a work may publish his work by 
means other than movie, theatre, radio or television, unless otherwise agreed. 
Article 39 
The producer shall always be considered the publisher of the work and shall have all 
publication rights of the tape and its copies. He shall act, during the period of exploitation of 
the tape, on behalf of the co-authors of the audiovisual work and their successors, as to the 
terms of the display and exploitation of the tape without prejudice to the rights of the author 
of the literary and musical works in publishing their works by other means, unless otherwise 
agreed. IP/N/1/QATIC/l 
Page 26 
CHAPTER VIII 
Related Rights 
Article 40 
Performance Rights 
Performers shall enjoy the following rights: 
(1) Moral rights: 
Ca) to be identified as such with respect to their performances only if such 
indication would contradict with the exploitation of the performance; 
(b) to object to any distortion, deformation or modification of their performance 
that would be prejudicial to their reputation. 
(2) Economic rights: 
(a) to broadcast or make their unfixed performance available to the public; 
(b) to make a fixation or a recording of their sound recordings; 
( c) to reproduce sound recordings containing unauthorized fixation of their 
performances; 
(d) to rent sound recordings containing their performances; 
( e) to distribute to the public through the sale of sound recordings containing 
their performances; IP/N/l IQA T/CIl 
Page 27 
The provisions of this Article shall not deprive performers from concluding contracts 
with better tenns for their performances. 
The rights conferred by this Article shall be protected until the end of the fiftieth year 
following the fixation of the performance in a sound recording or in the absence of such 
fixation, from the end of the year in which the performance took place. 
Article 40 
Rights of producers of sound recordings 
Producers sound recordings shall have the exclusive right to carry out or to authorize 
any of the following acts: 
(1) direct or indirect reproduction of a sound recording in any manner or form. 
(2) rental to the public of a copy of the sound recording. 
(3) making available to the public by sale. 
The rights under sub-section (1) of this article shall be protected from the publication of 
the sound recording until the end of the fiftieth year following the year of publication Of, if the 
sound recording has not been published, from the fixation of the sound recording until the end 
of the fiftieth year, following the year of fixation. 
Article 42 
Rights of broadcasting organizations 
Broadcasting organizations shall have the exclusive right to cauy out or to authorize 
any of the following acts: 
(1) rebroadcasting of their broadcasts. IP/N/1/QA TICIl 
Page 28 
(2) communication of such to the public. 
(3) fixation of its broadcasts. 
(4) reproduction of a fixation of its broadcast. 
The rights under this Article of the publication of the sound recording shall be protected 
for twenty years as from the year following the year in which the broadcast takes place. 
Article 43 
The provision of this Law shall apply to the following: 
(1) performances of Qatari performers. 
(2) sound recordings of Qatari producers or recordings that have been recorded or 
published in Qatar. 
(3) broadcasts or broadcasting organizations that have their headquarters in Qatar or 
broadcasting organizations that broadcast through a transmitter in Qatar. 
The provisions of this Law shall also apply on performances, sound recordings or 
broadcasts protected by any international convention to which the State is party. 
CHAPTER IX 
Office for the protection of the copyright and related rights 
Article 44 
An office shall be established within the Department of Commercial Affairs in the 
Ministry, to be called "Office for the protection of the copyright and related rights" vested 
with the enforcement of this Law. For this purpose, the Office shall undertake the following: IPlN/J/QATIC/J 
Page 29 
(1) raise authors' awareness to the optimal means to exercise their economic and 
moral rights and provide them with assistance; 
(2) settle any dis_putes arising between the authors, perfonners and third parties, 
subject to the provisions of this Law, with the consent of the parties concerned. 
(3) consider and follow up issues related to copyright and related-rights at the local, 
Arab and international levels, and submit relevant proposals or recommendations. 
(4) for examine applications to deposit works, sound recordings, performances and 
broadcasts, according to the provisions of this Law. 
(5) propose the necessary measures to implement the provisions of this Law, 
particularly the appropriate procedures to deposit works, provided for in the 
previous item of this Article, with the Office, the publication of such deposit, and 
the forms or records related to the deposit. 
Article 45 
Owners of copyright and related-rights may submit to the Office an application to 
deposit their works provided for in Article 44 (4) of this Law, provided that they submit the 
following material with their applications: 
(1) the name of author or authors in the case of joint works or the name of owners of 
related rights; 
(2) subject matter of the work or subject matter of the related right; 
(3) two copies of the work or the subj ect matter of the related right; 
(4) comprehensive statement of the works' specifications or the subj eet matter of the 
related right; IPINIl IQA TICI 1 
Page 30 
(5) a written statement by the authors of the oVlnership of a work or a related right 
and rights conferred on them. 
Failure to deposit work or related rights shall have no effect on its protection under this 
Law. 
Article 46 
The Office shall deliver to the owners of rights or the owners of related rights a 
certificate, specifying the date of deposit, the subject matter and nature of the related right and 
the name of the holder or owner, subject to the payment of the required certification fees. 
Such certificate shall be an evidence of the authenticity of the data included therein and 
other parties may prove otherwise. The fees for issuing deposit certificates shall be 
determined by a decision of the Councils of Ministers upon the proposal of the Minister. 
CHAPTER X 
Preventive measures and sanctions 
Article 47 
(a) The Court may, upon application of the holder of the right or any of his successors 
or hirers, take the following procedure related to the infringement of copyright: 
(1) grant injuctions to prohibit the committing of infringement; 
(2) order the seizure of the infringing copies or any part thereof; 
(3) seizure of infringing copies and implements used in the reproduction; 
( 4) ordering the appropriate indemnification; 
(5) seizure of profits attributable to the infringement. IP/N/1/QATIC/1 
Page 31 
Cb) if it is proved that the plaintiff is the owner of the right and that his right has been 
infringed or subject to an imminent infringement, the Court may order any ofthe 
procedures provided for in sub-section Ca) of this Article as a conservatory 
measure to prevent infringement or to preserve an evidence related to the 
infringement. 
(c) in cases where delay may prejudice the holder of the right beyond compensation 
or in cases where there is a proved risk of losing material which constitutes 
evidence related to the infringement, the Court may take any of the measures 
provided or in sub-section (a) of this Article, as conservatory measures, without 
notifying the defendant and in his absence, and the prejudiced parties shall be 
notified by the measures taken by the Court as soon as such measures are 
implemented. 
The defendant may request a hearing, within thirty days after his notification by 
the measures. The Court shall decide, in such a session, to endorse, modify or 
repeal the conservatory measure. 
(d) the petition for conservatory measures shall be submitted, according to the 
provisions of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Article, with an appropriate financial 
deposit, to prevent abuse and secure damages for the defendant, if the petition 
does not prove true. 
( e) upon request from the defendant, the conservatory measures taken according to 
the provisions of paragraphs (b) and ( c) of this Article shall be repealed if the 
action is not filed within fifteen days from the date of the Court's order to take the 
measures. 
(f) in the cases where'the conservatory measure taken according to paragraphs (b) 
and (c) of this Article is repealed because of the expiry of the period for filing the 
action, the inability of the plaintiff or where it is proved that there is no 
infringement or an imminent infringement, the Court may, upon request of the IP/N/1/QATIC/I 
Page 32 
defendant, order appropriate indemnification for prejudice caused by such 
measures. 
(g) the Court may order the petitioner, who arbitrarily requested any of the measures 
stipulated irrthis Article, payment of adequate indemnification to the party against 
whom the measures were taken, to compensate the damages sustained as a result 
of such abuse. 
Article 48 
Without prejudice to any severer sanction provided or under any other law, any person 
who publishes a work he does not own, without a certified written authorization from the 
author of the work, his inheritors, or his representative, shall be punished by imprisonment 
for a period not less than six months and not more than one year and with a fine of not less 
than 30,000 Riyals and not more than 100,000 Riyals, or by either punishment. 
Shall be subject to the same sanction any person who, contrary to the fact, claims 
ownership of a work he does not own. 
Article 49 
Without prejudice to any severer punishment provided for under any other law, any 
publisher who, when publishing a work, modifies its real meaning, nature, subject or title in 
contradiction with the instructions or wish of the author of the work, shall be punished with 
imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year and a fine of not less than 30,000 Ryals and 
not more than 50,000 Riyals, or by either punishment. 
Article 50 
No establishment which engage distributing, selling or reproducing copies of work, 
shall undertake any sale or reproduction of a work without a written authorization from the 
author, or his representative. IP~Il/QAT/C/l 
Page 33 
The owner of the establishment who contravenes the provision of the preceding 
paragraph shall be punished with imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year and with 
a fine not less than 30,000 Ryals and not exceeding 50,000 Riyals, or by either punishment. 
Article 51 
Measures, compensations and sanctions applied in case of abuse of technical 
protection instruments, and information relating to the administration of copyright. 
The following acts shall be considered illegal act and infringements of the rights 
protected under this Law: 
(1) manufacture or imports of any devices or instruments with an intention of using 
them through sale, rental or other means, if they were designed or meant to 
deactivate any devices or instruments preventing or limiting the reproduction of a 
work, a sound recording, or a broadcast, or if meant to undermine the quality of 
the work; 
(2) manufacture or import of any devices or instruments with the intention of using 
them through sale, rental or other means, if they can enable the reception of 
codified programs broadcast or communicated to the public in any other way, 
including programs communicated through satellite, or if they facilitate such 
transmission to persons not entitled to receive such programs. 
(3) remove or modify any.electronic data relating to copyright administration, without 
authorization. 
(4) distribute works, performances, sound recordings or broadcasts, or import such 
works for distribution, transmission or communication to the public, or provide 
them to the public without authorization, knowing that electronic data relating to 
copyright administration were removed or modified without authorization. 
Any person who commits any of the preceding infringement shall be punished by 
imprisonment or a period not less than six months and not more than one year. I P/N/lIQATICll 
Page 34 
Article 52 
In all cases specified in this Chapter it is imperative to order the confiscation of the 
infringing copies of the work and all implements used in the reproduction. A decision may 
also be taken to close down the establishment for a period of not less than one month and not 
more than three years. 
In case of recurrence, the sanctions provided for in this Chapter shall be doubled, and 
the Court may also order the publication of the judgement in one or more newspapers at the 
exnense of the convicted party. 
~ ~ -
Article 53 
All conservatory measures and sanctions provided for in this Chapter shall apply on 
related-rights. 
CHAPTER XI 
Final Provisions 
Article 54 
The provisions of this Law shall apply to works, performances, sound recordings or 
broadcasts in existence at the time of its entry into force, provided that the protection period 
had not lapsed under a previous legislation or the legislation in the country of origin of such 
works. 
The provisions of this Law shall not apply, however, to contracts concerning works 
artistic performances, sound recordings or broadcasts, which were concluded prior to its entry 
into force. Article 55 [PNII/QAT/ell 
Page 35 
The staff of the Office for the protection of copyright and related-rights, who are 
mandated by the Minister, shall have the capacity of legal officers for controlling and 
certifying offenses committed in violation of the provisions of this Law. For that purpose, 
they are authorized to enter and inspect premises where the works are published, distributed, 
reproduced and produced, and to examine documents and records, and to confiscate any 
material, copies or the means used in any acts violating this Law. 
Article 56 
The Minister shall issue the necessary regulations and decisions for the implementation 
of the provisions of this Law. 
Article 57 
Law No. 25 of 1995 is hereby repealed as well as any provisions inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Law. 
Article 58 
All competent authorities, within their respective areas of competence, are liable to 
enforce this Law. This Law shall enter into force as from 1/1/2000 and published in the 
Official Gazette. 
Harnad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani 
Emir of the State of Qatar 
Issued in the Emir Diwan 
On .... .1. ..... .1 1420 A. H. 
Corresponding to ... ./. .. .1 1999