Source: http://report.globalintegrity.org/Qatar/2009/scorecard/19
Timestamp: 2013-12-11 14:36:03
Document Index: 529014680

Matched Legal Cases: ['Art. 42', 'Art.16', 'Art. 1', 'Art. 16', 'Art.16', 'Art. 1', 'Art. 16', 'Art. 35', 'Art 35', 'Art.16', 'Art. 1', 'Art. 16']

Qatar: Integrity Indicators Scorecard
Qatar: Integrity Scorecard Report
Score: YES NO Comments: Art. 42 of the Constitution (2003) allows both male and female citizens to elect and be elected only according to the law. Art.16 of the subsequent Nationality Law No. 28 of 2005 prohibits naturalized citizens from voting or from serving in public office. These rights are granted only to "original" Qatari citizens, whom Art. 1 defines as members of families who lived in Qatar before 1930. Art. 16 also states that equality between "original" and naturalized citizens is prohibited during the first 5 years of naturalization. Members of the police and armed forces, as well as citizens who are/were convicted of certain crimes, are also prohibited from voting It was expressed to me by a local expert that many citizens who voted in favor of the 2003 referendum supporting the new Constitution were under the impression that the Constitution would guarantee universal suffrage and were surprised by the subsequent Nationality Law that enforced an "original"-"non-original" divide. References: Art.16 of the Nationality Law No. 28 of 2005. Available at: [ LINK ] Peer Review Comments: Worth noting that the only elections held in Qatar are for the only central municipal council, where elected members serve as advisors to the minister of municipal affairs 14b: In law, there is a legal framework requiring that elections be held at regular intervals.
Score: YES NO Comments: The constitution provides for a 45-member legislative body, or Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura), of which the public will elect two-thirds and the remainder of which will be appointed by the Head of State (the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani). Legislative terms are four calender years long and elections of a new Council should be held during the last 90 days of the 4-year term. However, elections have been postponed and Council members have had their terms extended every year since the new constitution came into force on June 9, 2005. No legislative elections have actually taken place in the country since 1970. No executive elections are held, as the position of Emir is hereditary and the current Emir's son is the heir apparent. It should be noted that the current Emir overthrew his father, the former Emir, in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2007 there elections were held to select members of the Municipal Council. However, this Council is purely advisory and its primary function is to advise the minister of municipal affairs and agriculture on local public services References: Article 81 of the Constitution. Available at: [ LINK ] 15
Score: 100 75 50 25 0 Comments: Article 42 of the Constitution allows both male and female citizens to elect and be elected according to the law. Article16 of the subsequent Nationality Law No. 28 of 2005 prohibits naturalized citizens from voting or from serving in public office. These rights are granted only to "original" Qatari citizens, whom Art. 1 defines as members of families who have lived in Qatar since before 1930. Art. 16 also states that equality between "original" and naturalized citizens is prohibited during the first 5 years of naturalization. It was expressed to me by a local expert that many citizens who voted in favor of the 2003 referendum supporting the new Constitution were under the impression that the Constitution would guarantee universal suffrage and were surprised by the subsequent Nationality Law that enforced an "original"/"non-original" divide. Members of the police and armed forces, as well as citizens who are/were convicted of certain crimes, are also prohibited from voting During Qatar's last Municipal Council elections held in 2007, the law regulating suffrage was upheld. It should be noted, however, that the Municipal Council does not have legislative powers, but rather serves only to advise the minister of municipal affairs and agriculture on local public services. Since 1970, citizens have, in practice, been unable to vote in legislative elections for the Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shoura), as the Emir has repeatedly postponed these elections and has instead appointed the 35 Council members. References: Interview with a Representative from the National Human Rights Committee. Interview date and location: April 26, 2010 and the National Human Rights Committee. Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). IPU-PARLINE Database: Report on Majlis al-Shoura (Advisory Council) in Qatar. Published on August 25, 2009. Available at: [ LINK ]. Accessed on April 23, 2010 Interview with Dr. Ahmed Abdul Malik, Qatari Media Expert, Lecturer at Qatar University, and former Editor-in-Chief of Gulf Times and Al-Sharq Newspapers in Qatar. Interview date and location: April 28, 2010 in a public location. 15b: In practice, ballots are secret or equivalently protected.
Score: 100 75 50 25 0 Comments: References: Interview with Majed Al-Ansari, Assistant Researcher at the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute at Qatar University. Interview date and location: March 24, 2010 at Qatar University. Peer Review Comments: True in principle, but in practice, elections in general are rare in the country, as established in earlier sections. 15c: In practice, elections are held according to a regular schedule.
Score: 100 75 50 25 0 Comments: The constitution provides for a 45-member legislative body, or Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura), of which the public will elect two-thirds and the remainder of which will be appointed by the Head of State (the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani). Legislative terms are four calender years long and elections of a new Council should be held during the last 90 days of the 4-year term. However, legislative elections have not taken place in Qatar since 1970, as elections have been postponed and Council members have had their terms extended every year since the new constitution came into force on June 9, 2005. Most recently, the Head of State (the Emir) issued Emiri Decision No. 47 of 2008, which extended the terms until June 10, 2010. Different sources have reported that preparations are underway to conduct elections to the Majlis al-Shura in June 2010, but no real evidence has surfaced to support this claim, and in late April, Qatar's Permanent Elections Committee was dissolved in anticipation of further postponement. Elections for the Municipal Council were held in 2007; however, this body is not considered "political," as it is purely advisory and its primary function is to advise the minister of municipal affairs and agriculture on local public services. It does not hold legislative power, nor does it represent the Head of State's accountability to the people. References: Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). IPU-PARLINE Database: Report on Majlis al-Shoura (Advisory Council) in Qatar. Published on August 25, 2009. Available at: [ LINK ]. Accessed on April 23, 2010. Bertelsmann Stiftung, BTI 2010-Qatar Country Report. Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Stiftung, 2009. Available at: [ LINK ] Gulf Times Newspaper. Title: "Legislative body polls by June 2010" by Arvind Nair. Available at: [ LINK ]. Accessed on April 1, 2010. 16
Score: YES NO Comments: Political parties are illegal in Qatar according to Art. 35(3) of Law 12 (2004) pertaining to Private Institutions and Vocational Assemblies. This Article forbids any organization in Qatar from engaging in political matters of any sort. References: Art 35(3) of Law 12 (2004) pertaining to Private Institutions and Vocational Assemblies. Available at: [ LINK ] 16b: In law, all citizens have a right to run for political office.
Score: YES NO Comments: Article 80 of the Constitution permits only "natural", or "original", Qatari citizens to sit on the Shoura Council (the legislative body). Art.16 of the Nationality Law No. 28 of 2005 prohibits naturalized, or "non-original", citizens from voting or from serving in public office. These rights are granted only to "original" Qatari citizens, who Art. 1 defines as members of families who have lived in Qatar before 1930. Art. 16 also states that equality between "original" and naturalized citizens is prohibited during the first 5 years of naturalization. It should be noted that Article 5(1) of Law No. 12 of 1998, organizing the Municipal Council, allows "original" citizens and "naturalized" citizens whose fathers were born in Qatar to run for election to this Council. However, this body is not considered "political," as it is simply an advisory council for the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture on local public services and does not hold any political power. It should also be noted that children born to a Qatari mother and a non-Qatari father are not automatically entitled to Qatari citizenship ("original" or not) regardless of whether or not the mother is an "original" Qatari. Citizens who are/were convicted of certain crimes are also prohibited from being elected. References: Article 80 of the Constitution. Available at: [ LINK ] Article 16 of the Nationality Law No. 28 of 2005. Available at: [ LINK ] 16c: In practice, all citizens are able to form political parties.
Score: 100 75 50 25 0 Comments: Organised political opposition to the absolute monarchy is strictly forbidden in Qatar, as are political parties or any organization with a political motive. References: U.S. State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor - 2009 Qatar Country Report on Human Rights Practices. Published on March 11, 2010. Available at: [ LINK ]. Accessed on April 25, 2010. United Nations Development Programme - Programme on Governance in the Arab Region (UNDP-POGAR). Country Governance Report: Qatar. Available at: [ LINK ]. Accessed on March 10, 2010. 16d: In practice, all citizens can run for political office.
Score: 100 75 50 25 0 Comments: Naturalized (or "non-original") citizens cannot run for the a seat in the Majlis al- Shoura Council (Qatar's legislative body). Only 'original' citizens, defined as persons whose family origins date back to before 1930, may do so. However, legislative elections have not been held since 1970. There is a Municipal Council that holds elections and that may legally consist of non-original Qataris whose fathers were born in Qatar. However, this Council is not considered political, as it is purely advisory and its primary function is to advise the minister of municipal affairs and agriculture on local public services. In the last elections of the Municipal Council, held in 2007, the law regulating candidacy was upheld and one woman was elected. Citizens who are/were convicted of certain crimes are also prohibited from running. References: Interview with Majed Al-Ansari, Assistant Researcher at the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute at Qatar University. Interview date and location: March 24, 2010 at Qatar University. Interview with a Representative from the National Human Rights Committee. Interview date and location: April 26, 2010 and the National Human Rights Committee. Interview with Dr. Ahmed Abdul Malik, Qatari Media Expert, Lecturer at Qatar University, and former Editor-in-Chief of Gulf Times and Al-Sharq Newspapers in Qatar. Interview date and location: April 28, 2010 in a public location. 16e: In practice, an opposition party is represented in the legislature.
Score: 100 75 50 25 0 Comments: Organized political opposition is forbidden in Qatar, as are political parties. References: U.S. State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor - 2009 Qatar Country Report on Human Rights Practices. Published on March 11, 2010. Available at: [ LINK ]. Accessed on April 25, 2010. United Nations Development Programme - Programme on Governance in the Arab Region (UNDP-POGAR). Country Governance Report: Qatar. Available at: [ LINK ]. Accessed on March 10, 2010. Share