The Cabinet has approved a draft law on DNA database and referred the matter to the Advisory Council.
The draft law will replace Law No 9 of 2013 as part of efforts undertaken to update legislation in the country, the official Qatar News Agency reports.
After HE the Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani chaired the regular Cabinet meeting at the Amiri Diwan on Wednesday, HE the Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Dr Hassan bin Lahdan al-Hassan al-Mohannadi gave details of the day’s proceedings.
Under the draft law, a DNA database shall be established at the Ministry of Interior (MoI) and attached to the competent authority at the MoI.
“The DNA database shall also be used for the retention of genetic fingerprints resulting from the samples specified by the law. It is prohibited to take biological samples, conduct DNA tests or store its data in the DNA database, or use it as evidence and in an investigation or a trial without a decision by the Public Prosecution or the competent court,” the QNA report states.
Data recorded in the DNA database shall be confidential and cannot be viewed without the permission of the MoI, Public Prosecution or the competent court.
DNA tests and data in the database are authoritative unless otherwise proven, except for descent provided for in chapter two of part six of the Family Law, the report adds.
