The Doha Centre for Media Freedom (DCMF) will work “to ensure that the cybercrime law is not manipulated to place restrictions on freedom of expression or media freedom in Qatar and that the new law will be regulated and enforced in a fair manner.”
DCMF yesterday welcomed Qatar’s efforts to address issues related to illegal online activity through approval of cybercrime law number 14 of 2014.
“Consumers today continue to utilise social media and online services on an increasingly regular basis, and as such it is imperative that legal controls are put in place to ensure that certain unlawful practices are restricted and punishable,” DCMF said in a statement.
“Through capacity-building programmes, training journalists and younger students” as part of its media and information literacy programme, DCMF said it would engage in explaining the new law to them and highlight its impact on their use of technology.
It will also “facilitate the opening of a channel of communication between journalists and the legal system in order to reach a common understanding of the law”.
A lack of clarity over articles related to spreading “false news in order to jeopardise the safety of the state, its general order and its local or international peace”, and items deemed to have “violated any of the social values and principles”, could lead to confusion and abuse in the future, “which means that raising awareness and enhancing understanding of this law are of the utmost importance to DCMF”.
This law is flexible and open to interpretation which necessitates open discussion and dialogue among all stakeholders to raise awareness and enhance understanding of exactly how this legislation will be enforced and how to avoid violating the law.
While it is important to regulate online activity, the centre retains its belief that cybercrime issues should be kept separate from freedom of expression online.
The centre will work to ensure that users understand the law and its application and that it is not used to infringe basic liberties which are guaranteed by the constitution, such as freedom of opinion and expression and access to information.
