Qatar issues decree to amend law on combating terrorism

Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, issued a decree on 20 July 2017, amending some provisions of a law on combating terrorism.

The decree establishes two national lists for individuals and terrorist entities and states out the requirements for being included on them.

Key Points

• The decree includes definitions for terms such as terrorist, crime, terrorist acts, terrorist entities, freezing of funds and financing of terrorism.

• It also identifies procedures related to some terrorist activities.

• The decree also states that individuals and entities accused of terrorist activities have the right to challenge the charges lodged against them before the court.

The amendment to the anti-terror legislation is effective immediately upon its publication in the government newsletter.

The order follows an agreement signed between the United States and the Gulf nation during US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s visit to Doha, which seeks to combat terror financing.

Tillerson had praised Qatar for signing the deal and for committing to track down and disable terror financing. Qatar was the first Gulf state to sign such a pact with the US.

Currently, the nation stands boycotted by the other states in the Gulf region including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Egypt, which have accused Doha of funding and supporting extremist groups, a claim that Qatar strongly denies.

The states have also imposed sanctions on Qatar, which includes closing its only land border, refusing it access to their airspace and ordering their citizens back from the country.  They also presented the emirate with a list of 13 demands, which the Gulf state has called unrealistic.