Qatar Amends Cybercrime Law to Penalize Unauthorized Sharing of Personal Images

The State of Qatar has revised its cybercrime legislation to address the unauthorized sharing of images and videos of individuals online, particularly without their knowledge, consent, or in situations not legally sanctioned.

The newly issued Law No. (11) of 2025 was published in the Official Gazette (Issue No. 20 of 2025) on August 4, 2025, and received formal approval from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

This amendment adds Article (8) bis to the existing Law No. (14) of 2014 on Combating Cybercrime, introducing penalties for those who violate others’ privacy by distributing visual content through digital or online platforms.

According to the new article, any person who records and shares images or videos of individuals in public places without consent, or in situations not permitted by law, using the internet or other digital means, may face up to one year in prison, a fine of up to QAR 100,000, or both.

The amendment is considered effective immediately upon its publication in the Official Gazette.