DOHA: The Doha Municipality has launched a crackdown on billboards violating the law (No 1 of 2012) regulating advertisements, issued last year.
Civic inspectors have put notices on billboards placed in public places in violation of the law, asking their owners to remove the ads or rectify the errors.
The owners have been given a week to comply with provisions of the law, according to Al Sharq.
If they fail to do so, the municipality could initiate legal action against them and remove the ads. The owners cannot claim compensation for any damage caused by the civic action.
The new law says all billboards must be in Arabic, and other languages can be used along with Arabic as per rules set by the municipalities. Those erecting an advertisement in violation of the law can face fines of up to QR20,000 and the advertisement will be removed.
The content of the ads should not cause any insult to Islam or any other religion nor violate public morals, traditions, norms and public order.
The design, size or colour of the ad should not be similar to traffic sign boards or other official signage.
The installation of an ad should not harm public facilities or endanger people’s life or property nor have a negative impact on the aesthetic character of the area or the overall appearance of the city. It should not violate the height and other dimensions fixed by the respective municipality.
Ads should not be installed, placed, hanged, or attached in the places of worship, facilities, buildings and surroundings of historic or archeological sites, trees and plants, sign boards and traffic lights.
The municipality can remove any ad that violates the licensing requirements. In that case, the violator will have no right for compensation.
The Peninsula
