DOHA: Insulting Qatar’s national flag is punishable with a maximum of three years imprisonment and a fine of up to QR200,000 according to Law No. 14 of 2012 issued by the Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani on the eve of the National Day.
The law has also made a special licence mandatory for companies manufacturing, importing or selling the national flag. The flags must be made strictly following the specifications regarding colour, the material and other features.
Anyone involving in acts intended to insult the national flag can face both the said punishments together or any of them, depending on the nature of the offense.
Tearing a flag or removing it from a building or a pole in a disrespectful manner are considered among acts of insulting.
Other forms of disrespect to the national flag as mentioned in the Article 3 and 4 of the law are punishable with six months in jail and a fine up to QR100,000.
Article 3 makes it mandatory to properly clean the national flag if it is not neat and wash and dry it separately from other clothes. A ragged flag should not be used and while destroying a national flag, it should be burned to ashes without leaving any trace of it.
According to Article 4, the national flag should be hoisted on a pole at a court building while it can be displayed on the top of the building in the case of ministries and other government departments.
If other flags are displayed on a building along with the national flag, they should be placed in between two national flags on both ends.
A special committee has been set up at the Emiri Diwan to oversee implementation of the law. This committee will work in coordination with different government entities, the daily said. The origin of the national flag, which is officially named Al Adaam (meaning maroon in Arabic) is attributed to Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani, father of Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, Founder of Qatar, who chose the maroon colour to unite the Qatari tribes under one banner.
Sheikh Jassim used the same colour for his flag in the battle of Mesaimeer in 1851. According to traditions, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) had a special attachment to this colour and he used to wear a maroon shawl.
The Peninsula
