My wife carries a Kubotan key ring.
If she was to carry this in Qatar could she be charged with carrying an offensive weapon, as she could here in the UK?
We are not paranoid but we are aware.
Here in the UK you can be charged with assault if you harm an intruder who breaks into your house if it can be proved that the thing you hit them was prepared for such an occasion.
I.E. if you found a thief in your home and hit him with a bat you kept by the bed you will be charge.

The UK is going mad, the law is going more to protect the criminal than to protect the victim.