After the decision of the Council of Ministers to impose the wearing of the muzzle in open places next to closed places, the wearing of masks has become mandatory for everyone.
Removing the mask from the face, or not wearing it correctly, is considered an unhealthy behavior, and a violation of the safety procedures established for the sake of society in accordance with Decree Law No. (17) of 1990 regarding the prevention of infectious diseases.
Article (21) of Law No. (17) of 1990 regarding the prevention of infectious diseases states that without prejudice to any severer penalty stipulated in any other law:
1- Violation of the provisions, procedures and measures taken by the Council of Ministers in accordance with the provisions of Article (10) last paragraph, shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not exceeding three years and a fine not exceeding (200,000) two hundred thousand riyals, or by one of these two penalties.
2- Violation of the provisions of Articles (15), (16) and (17) shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not exceeding one month and a fine not exceeding (10,000) ten thousand riyals, or by one of these two penalties.
Violation of decisions issued in implementation of the provisions of the articles referred to in the previous two clauses shall be punished with the same penalties.
Article (10) of the law states that the Council of Ministers, upon the proposal of the Minister, and for the purpose of limiting the spread of contagious disease, may take appropriate general measures and measures to preserve public health, including imposing restrictions on the freedom of persons to assemble, move, reside and pass in places or certain times.
Lawyer Ghanem Al-Kubaisi had confirmed – to “Al-Sharq” – that the penalty for not wearing a muzzle in Qatar is the most strict in order to protect citizens and residents.
Regarding the existence of severe penalties in the law for those who deliberately not wear the muzzle, lawyer Ghanem Al-Kubaisi said that it is the assessment of the severity of the penalty or its reduction for the criminal judge who issues the ruling in accordance with the provisions of Articles 91,94 of the Penal Code No. 11/2004.
