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ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER ON SATURDAY ONLINE FREEDOM Israel-Palestine solution to be put at UNSC: Hollande PARIS: A solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be put to the UN Security Council, French President Francois Hollande said yes- terday after meeting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. “We will have a resolution that will say clearly what we expect from the (peace) process and what the solution must be,” Hollande said in a joint news conference with Abbas. He said “there is a perception that there will never be a solution, even though we know the outlines of a possible deal”. Ain Khalid health centre to be ready by 2016 DOHA: Dr Mariam Abdul Malik, Director- General, Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), said construction of new health centre by Ashghal in Ain Khalid is expected to be completed in 2016. Al Gharrafa and Al Shahaniya health centres will work 24-hour from March next year. The health centre in Abu Nakhla will follow suit later. It will also start service classification to allow patients to consult doctors without prior appointments. Bahrain dialogue parties ‘on common ground’ MANAMA: Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa yesterday said political parties had identified five areas of “common ground”, to address opposition Shia grievances in the Sunni-ruled kingdom. He presented them to H M King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa as a framework for dialogue, his court said. They address Shia demands, including re-defining electoral districts to ensure greater represen- tation; measures to enable parliament to ques- tion actions of the prime minister, his deputies and ministers; granting parliament new rights to approve the cabinet; and judicial and secu- rity reforms. See also page 9 Salmond to quit over Scottish vote failure EDINBURG: Alex Salmond yesterday said he will stand down as Scotland’s First Minister THE ISSUE and Scottish National Party (SNP) leader after failing to secure a majority for inde- pendence in Thursday’s referendum. He said he would not accept SNP’s nomination to be a Qatar has recently put into force ($137,306) for anyone who creates or man- abuse in future and there is the need to candidate for leader at its annual conference in ages a website for a terrorist organisation or raise awareness about the new law. Perth in November. Given the SNP’s majority an extensive cybercrime law spreads its ideology through the Internet or “A lack of clarity about the articles in the Scottish parliament, the new leader will to combat offences committed any other media that assists in communica- related to spreading ‘false news in order become first minister. See also page 10 online, including financial tion among heads and/or members of terror to jeopardise the security of the state and Design: Abraham Augusthy organisations. disturbing peace locally or internationally’ IS captures 60 Kurdish frauds and crimes and offences Article 6 prescribes a punishment of up to and ‘items deemed to have violated any of committed through the Internet. three years in jail or fine of up to QR500,000 the social values and principles’ could lead villages in Syria or both for anyone who creates and manages to confusion and abuse in future, which a website or any other media to publish false means that raising awareness and enhanc- BEIRUT: Islamic State (IS) jihadists have he legislation is a welcome move news with an intention to jeopardise the ing understanding of this law are of utmost seized 60 Kurdish villages near the Turkish as it prescribes severe punish- security of the state or disturb peace locally, importance to DCMF,” the centre said in a border in a two-day campaign, the Syrian ments for several crimes dealing regionally or internationally. statement. Observatory for Human Rights said yester- Twith computers, networks and While Article 7 talks of child pornogra- Article 20 also breaches freedom of day. “In the past 48 hours, they have taken 60 the Internet, prominent among them being phy and severe punishments for the crime, expression and tries to muzzle it as it says if villages, 40 on Friday,” it said, referring to the child pornography. Article 8 stipulates imprisonment up to authorities would insist, one would be legally operation around Ain Al Arab. See also page 8 However, where it has been welcome by three years or a fine of QR100,000 or both obliged to part with information about a society at large as a deterrent against elec- for anyone who violates social values or source or sources of news and would not Light rains in Al Shamal tronic crimes, it has raised fear in some publishes news or photographs or records have the right to withhold such information sections as some provisions of the law are a voice breaching privacy of a family or an on the ground of professional ethics. DOHA: Some areas along Al Shamal Road seen as aiming at suppressing free speech individual even if the content is true, with Article 21 makes it legally binding on witnessed light rains last afternoon, pro- on the Internet. the intention of slander on the Internet or a service provider to retain a subscribed viding relief to people from scorching heat. Criticism is being made by proponents of any other media. online material for a year in case there is Light rains were witnessed in Muasker Al freedom of speech, particularly of Article According to Doha Centre for Media a crime or a case involving the subscribed Shamal, Wadi Dahul and Um Shakhut. The 5 of the law which prescribes up to three Freedom (DCMF), the vagueness of the material or the subscriber. Meteorology Department has forecast clear years of prison and a fine of up to QR500,000 above articles can lead to confusion and Continued on page 2 weather today with slight dust. AGENCIES Saturday 20 September 2014 • 25 Dhu’l-Qa’da 1435 • Volume 19 • Number 6194 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 SEPTEMBER 20, 2014 ON SATURDAY 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home Cybercrime law sparks debate Welcomed by society at large as a deterrent against online crimes, though critics see it as aiming at suppressing free speech on the Internet. Continued from page 1 cybercrime law?” said a critic. Amnesty International’s Middle East rticle 23 says Qatar Then, there are people and groups and North Africa Programme. will cooperate with glo- who promote their religions and Article 23 says Qatar will “It contains broad and vaguely-worded bal agencies to launch religious ideologies using social provisions that fly in the face of interna- investigations against media and their tweet accounts, cooperate with global tional standards. They effectively grant the accused in some especially. “Are we going to treat agencies to launch the government extensive powers to Aalleged cases of cybercrimes or some of them or all of them as ter- punish anyone who posts or shares con- extradite them. ror-related online commentators so investigations against the tent officials consider harmful to Qatar’s This, according to critics, would they could be punished?” asked the accused in some alleged “social values” or interests. put unnecessary pressure on Doha critic. There is a real danger that legitimate, as such requests may keep pouring Another critic said requesting cases of cybercrimes or peaceful expression could be seriously in literally by the day. Qatari citizens anonymity that if there is a debate undermined by this new law which could would, however, not be extradited. on the Islamic State (IS) on some extradite them. facilitate arbitrary crackdown on peace- Article 27, however, confers on social media in the GCC or some ful dissent.” Qatar the right to seek similar help other online platform, are the debat- The controversial articles assume regarding a cybercrime accused ers to be booked on the charges importance as Qatar is among the most from foreign agencies. of promoting or aiding terror or online connected countries in the world Article 40, however, says Qatar spreading terrorist ideology? and its residents keep expressing views will, though, have the right not to Yet another critic, who also didn’t online on everything under the sun. extradite an accused in a cyber- want to be named, said the articles “The GCHR expresses serious concern crime case due to his race, religion, that pertain to trying to defame or at the enactment of the new Cybercrime or political opinion. slander individuals and families or Law and views it as a real and serious “Does this mean that the accused issuing threats to them online, are threat to freedom of expression and would not be extradited on the already crimes punishable under opinion and belief on the Internet and above grounds even if he is charged Qatar’s criminal code. “So why through social media,” it wrote on its with having committed a big finan- they should have been included website. cial or banking fraud in a Western in the cybercrime law in the first Dr Matt J Duffy, a media expert on country?”asked one of the critics. place? They are already crimes GCC who has written a book, ‘Media Meanwhile, prominent law- and whether committed using the Laws of the UAE’, said the cybercrime yer and former member of the Internet or any other means is law is a troubling development for the Central Municipal Council (CMC), immaterial,” said the critic. level of freedom of speech in Qatar. Abdulrahman Al Jefairi, told local He said he had read the full law Duffy said no country that enjoys a Arabic daily Al Raya in remarks and found it strange that it mentions reasonable level of freedom of the press published recently that creating that it was proposed by the Minister and other forms of expression enforces awareness about the legislation of Interior, whereas it should have laws that regulate “false news”.

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