The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) has urged people not to disrespect or undermine symbols, public titles and slogans such as ‘Tamim Al Majd’, the iconic portrait of His Highness the Emir.
In a statement on Thursday, the MEC said it has issued a circular on the commercial use of symbols and public titles in the State. 
The ministry said it recently uncovered the “unregulated use of the image of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani (such as ‘Tamim Al Majd’) as well as symbols and public titles by some traders, suppliers and malls on commercial goods”.
The statement explained that the use of a logo or trademark was restricted to lawful uses. 
“The logo and symbol of the trademark should be held in high regard as a public symbol and slogan that should not be disrespected or undermined. It is, therefore, forbidden to use the logo and slogan in a disrespectful manner,” the ministry said, urging the public “to respect the symbol and slogan as a public emblem that should not be disrespected or undermined”.
The MEC stressed that the circular comes within the framework of its efforts to ensure the compliance of suppliers with their obligations under Article 8 of Law No 9 of 2002 regarding trademarks, trade data and names, geographical indicators, logos and industrial designs. 
The law prohibits the registration of a trademark if it is one of the State’s public titles, symbols and slogans. 
The circular also aims at ensuring the compliance of traders with their obligations under Article 14 of Law No 7 of 2002 regarding the protection of copyright and related rights, which prohibits the depiction or drawing of official figures for commercial use.
It could be recalled that the ‘Tamim Al Majd’ portrait of HH the Emir, created by Qatari artist Ahmed bin Majed Almaadheed, became a symbol of Qatar’s resilience in the wake of the Saudi-led bloc imposing the unjust blockade in June last year. 
However, widespread use of the portrait – including for commercial reasons – later prompted the artist to issue a notice in local newspapers asking companies and shops to refrain from commercially exploiting the image and using it inappropriately. He also warned them against using the image without his prior permission.
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