Does Qatar Justice System need a review?
I am reading on a daily basis people going to prison for a year for illicit relations and subsequent deportation. I am fine with that. If that is the law, and people understand the consequences of their actions, then they should not be surprised if a court issues them with such a sentence.
However I am also reading on a daily basis of drivers paying silly little fines and getting a years SUSPENDED sentence for killing someone while driving recklessly.
I am also really surprised that the penalty points system here can cause you to lose your driving licence for parking badly, yet you can rack up as many speeding fines as you like and not get a single point on your licence. What message is this sending to drivers here in Qatar?
Below is todays Court Roundup, a typical Court Roundup in the Gulf Times, and a true reflection of what you will find in it on a daily basis. Illicit relations, and people getting killed by bad driving.
Does Qatar need to take a look at their justice system?
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COURT ROUNDUP
Motorist fined QR10,000 for fatal crash
By Nour Abuzant
A local motorist has been sentenced to six months of suspended imprisonment and fined QR10,000 for “reckless driving that led to the death of a Nepali pedestrian.”
The fatal accident took place on February 4, 2009 in the al-Khaisa area in the south.
The Doha court of first instance heard that three Nepalese workers were crossing the street when a speeding car driven by the accused hit one of them, killing him on the spot.
The accused, 23, told the interrogators that the street was dark and that he was surprised by the three workers “because they were wearing black shirts.”
A traffic investigator told the judges that both the motorist and the victim were responsible for the accident.
The witness said that he found brake marks on the street, an indication that the motorist was speeding, and that the victim was walking next to the sidewalk.
The court accordingly convicted the accused but ruled that he was only 75% responsible for the accident. The judges ordered the local motorist to pay, jointly with the insurance company, QR150,000 as blood money.
One-year jail for maintaining illicit relations
An Egyptian man has been sentenced to a year’s imprisonment following his conviction of maintaining illicit relations with an Arab woman, who was not tried in the case.
The Egyptian was sentenced to an additional six months’ imprisonment and QR5,000-fine for possessing and exposing seven videotapes showing his physical relations with the woman.
The Doha court of first instance heard that the convict submitted the tapes to the police and got himself trapped in the case.
According to the court papers, the accused travelled to Morocco to ask for the woman’s hand. Her family did not agree to his proposal and the frustrated man went to the police apparently as an act of revenge and showed them the videos and photos that turned out to be authentic.
The accused told the interrogators that he helped the woman find a job and that she seduced him to have the physical relations.
The woman was deported on an administrative basis, sources told Gulf Times.
Jail for stealing
A Sri Lankan worker has been sentenced to a year in jail for stealing building materials from an under-construction building. The theft took place in late January 2010 at the Ghanim area.
The Doha court of first instance heard that the accused was carried by a pick-up driver to the location along with another compatriot.
The building’s watchman caught the driver, who divulged the name of the suspect, who eventually turned out to be a worker at the building site
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=425202...
I will watch out for the 'Men in Black' from now on! Especially during the night time....the 'men in Black' scares me.
Mr.Genesis , thank you very much,haven't you noticed the same group of people are complaining about something they don't have a clue about? i think its hate that drive them not ignorance,please people get educated
TFS, Genesis.
"Therefore, the Adlia court was deemed necessary in the absence of British jurisdiction for non-Muslims, and in the light of a changing society. Qatar's legal development has culminated in a dual judicial system.
The constitution apparently marked the beginning of an attempt to organize the judiciary. This organization had resulted in a division of Qatar's judicial system: while the sharia court applied sharia law, the Adlia court applied Western civil law."
Similar to Malaysia's - dual Syariah law and Common Law jurisdictions.
LincolnPirate said "How can one wear black shirts at night? I think they wanted to get killed! Sadly only one was successful."
Actually, this happened quite often. I know cos I used to drive in Qatar and even though I didn't drive fast at night, I had men in black scuttling across the road in front of my car and I really couldn't see them until I was quite (very) close. Of course, I slowed down further and let them get across but really, they don't realize that they can't be easily seen at night!
I am proud of ma self :)
I watched the whole video...usually i dont :)
ReninGeorge I found this one...worth a watch...not related to reckless/careless driving
&feature=related
Som of the clips are real i guess...i am not sure.
Renin George
are some of these accidents real? While I drive safely, I am still fearful of those who don't. Fearful they come crash into my car. Not fearing I die but fearing I get crippled for life. Scares me.
Again you are confusing sharia law with the judicial system.
in the case you're referring to, Qcharity was just a mediator. "Diyya" (aka blood money) can be dropped off by "Zakat". for instance, i can choose to pay off my "zakat" by paying the "Diyya" of a Muslim
Whyteknight,
Obviously there are many things wrong with the system, its just those who can change it are part of that system and the current status quo suits them, after all this is a tribal dictatorship where you see the application of law tailored maid for each case.
Should it change - Yes
Will it change - Yes (its a matter of time, perhaps in this ultraconservative non-democratic society, it will take centuries, but it will definitely change. Most certainly, none us will be here to witness it!
There are charities funding blood money for murderers, how can anyone say there is nothing seriously wrong with the system.
No system is perfect in the world but such incidents make me throw up.
Should it change - Yes
Will it change- No
Over the centuries Qatar's legal system has emerged in three stages: tribal law , sharia law and a tailored civil modern law.
Qatar's legal development extends from 1916 up to the present. With the intrusion of British political influence and the discovery of oil in 1940 came the introduction of Western laws. The British involvement in Qatar from 1916 to 1971 brought British legal institutions. In the case of Qatar, British jurisdiction did not supplant local jurisdiction (i.e. sharia law) but instead was parallel to it, governing British and non-Muslim residents in Qatar, who worked for British oil companies and businesses, while Muslim residents remained subject to the jurisdiction of the sharia court. However, after the independence of Qatar in 1971, British jurisdiction over non-Muslim foreigners ceased. Consequently, the sharia court regained full jurisdiction in all civil and criminal matters over all foreigners in Qatar. Thus, the status of non-Muslims became incompatible with the law applied by the sharia court. In response to the new situation the previous Emir created the Adlia court, as distinct from the sharia court, to deal with the backlog or disputes among foreigners and Qatar's nationals. Therefore, the Adlia court was deemed necessary in the absence of British jurisdiction for non-Muslims, and in the light of a changing society. Qatar's legal development has culminated in a dual judicial system.
The constitution apparently marked the beginning of an attempt to organize the judiciary. This organization had resulted in a division of Qatar's judicial system: while the sharia court applied sharia law, the Adlia court applied Western civil law.
in october 2003, Qatar introduced the new judicial law No. 10 of 2003. Which came into effect in October 2004. It unified the judicial system in Qatar to a certain extent.
In 2006, Qatar introduced Qatar family law (2006/22). which disturbed many conservatives as it filtered down sharia law for family & women rights.
A draft of Amendment on judicial law (2003/10) have sparked further controversy in 2008 when discussed. Many Conservatives feared that this would turn Qatar into a secular state.
I've written dozen times before that reports of crime are accessed by the local media through the courts whereas they should be sourced directly from the law-enforcement departments concerned, which is the case in most countries around the world except here.
The reports doesn't mention whether the case is taken through civil, sharia or family court. Thus, the sentences are different from one another
If the victim ( or the family ) accepted blood money, the verdict varies as per sharia law
It's the media law that needs a review.
I think it is appauling that this bloke got run over on the sidewalk and it is his fault partially for wearing black. The payment for taking his life just US$41,095. Less than the cost of the Land Cruiser that hit him.
Let her have an opinion, Nic. SHE thinks like this.
SamyaUK,
I believe LP didn't mean what you interpreted, he was just being sarcastic!
Clean Sweep!
ReninGeorge TFS. This video brought tears to my eyes.
Shame there was no sound. Powerful, shocking, upsetting, the stuff of nightmares, and every driver in Qatar should watch it.
&feature=player_embedded
Well my views on this I think are fairly clear - for 2 days now I have posted what I believe are gross inconsistencies in the application of the law - i would caution however that we can only comment upon was is written and Im afraid to say that the level of journalism in this country in the English speaking papers is as wayward as the application of the law appears to be. Not with standing that, IF we are to believe what is reported and without the minute detail of each case, then yes, it would appear that those in the judiciary who have the power over incarcaration and liberty are treating their responsibilities in the same way as some of us treat our hobbies. I am all for custom, rules and values wallah HOWEVER I am also for upholding the spirirt of the law and the fair, consistent, transparent and unequivocal application of it irrespective of nationality. What I read on a daily basis leads me to believe that this is simply NOT the case - how can it be that a person's age is the determining factor between incarcaration and liberty - where is the deterrent factor. In short, from what I am privy to, yes, the judiciary does need to take a long hard look at itself with a view to a more consistent and fairer application because at the moment as it being witnessed on this and other forums, it has little or no credibility.
I can understand the black shirt thing..last day I narrowly escaped dispatching a couple of guys leisurely crossing the road between Wakra main r/a and Pearl r/a. I was following the 80 speed limit, so i was able to stop...
Yes i can see that! He needs a tragedy to happen in his family to be able to understand... sad
Lincoln Pirate WTF!! If someone killed ur dad, brother, mother or sister, would u be amused to recieve 150,000 to replace them??
That was such a thoughtless cold comment u made!
not sure if amused, LP.
I think they will be amused to receive 150.000 Riyals blood money, Nic.
LP,
That maybe the case, but I am sure that the victims and their families won’t see the amusement.
It's not 'ugly', it's very entertaining. I love to read the 'Court Roundup' every morning. It always makes my day!
The ugly hidden side of Qatar on display - absolutely dreadful and pathetic!
Hmmm... some lateral thinking there by Smoke
How can one wear black shirts at night? I think they wanted to get killed! Sadly only one was successful.
Could it be possible that these reckless drivers drive that way coz they are in a hurry to go home to have illicit relations with the maids?
I agree that the driving issue needs to be addressed. However, each country has its own values and rules, with differing importance.
da illiCit relaTionship alwayz a Maid & driver excepT 4 2day wen its Egptian man.:p