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published photo, Getty Images
File photo of municipal elections in Qatar
The Qatari authorities have referred seven people to the prosecution to investigate the charges against them for spreading false news and inciting ethnic and tribal conflicts, according to a statement released Monday by the Qatari Interior Ministry.
The ministry said in a statement via Twitter: “After the relevant authorities discovered the content posted in their accounts and its connection to the subject of the charge, they were referred to the prosecution to complete its proceedings in this regard”.
The Interior Ministry statement did not mention the names of the defendants, but the decision came after criticism from the large Al Marra tribe in Qatar, amid complaints that the electoral law prevents them from voting in elections. first legislative elections in the country’s history.
Given their past status as a semi-nomadic tribe in Qatar, electoral law will prevent them from voting as they do not have the qualifications to acquire Qatari assets.
And videos posted on social media sites of a large crowd greeting a lawyer who announced his opposition to the electoral law after being summoned for investigation by authorities.
Observers believe that the Qatari legislative elections, to be held next October, are part of the State of Qatar’s efforts to improve its image with the world before hosting the 2022 World Cup.
Two-thirds of the members of the Qatari Shura Council are chosen in elections, which some see as an important step towards democracy by the small Gulf state.
BBC News’ Arab affairs editor Sebastian Usher said sections of the Qatari people felt left out. The Al Murra tribe in Qatar considers the electoral law, which requires proof of long-standing Qatari ancestry, to be unfavorable to them and their semi-Bedouin origins.
published photo, Reuters
The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, ratified an electoral law a few days ago for the country’s first parliamentary elections
He added that the tribe had a history of disagreements with the ruling family in Qatar and now opposed the election law, which highlights long-standing differences between tribal identities and the Qatari state.
The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, ratified an electoral law a few days ago for the country’s first legislative elections, which are due to be held in October.
According to the new law, “any person whose original nationality was Qatari and has turned 18 Gregorian years has the right to elect the members of the Shura Council, and is exempt from the condition of original nationality. . Anyone who has acquired Qatari nationality, provided that their grandfather is Qatari and born in the State of Qatar. “
As for the candidates, the candidate must be “whose nationality of origin is Qatari, and his age at the closing of the candidacy gate is not less than 30 calendar years”.
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