QATAR INTRODUCES NEW LAW PUNISHING PRE-TRIAL TORTURE

June 9, 2010: Qatar amended a key provision of the penal code to extensively define torture and intimidation to reaffirm its stance to severely punish public officials, including police personnel, charged with physically or mentally torturing suspects, witnesses or others forcing them to confess to a crime or provide testimony or part with information with regard to a crime. The prison term is 10 years if the victim of a torture has suffered permanent injury or disability. And if such torture leads to the death of a victim, the punishment could be life term or even execution depending upon the nature of the crime.
The law (Number 8 of 2010) amending Law No 11 of 2004 was issued by the Deputy Emir and Heir Apparent H H Shaykh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and is to be published in the official gazette, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported. (Sources: BBC, 10/06/2010)