QNA
Doha
The Legal Awareness Unit at the Centre for Legal and Judicial Studies (CLJS) of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) held a legal workshop at Al Jumayliyah Youth Center on the dangers of electronic blackmail. This initiative is part of the ongoing cooperation between the ministry and youth centres to develop and disseminate legal awareness, reinforce the concept of legal education, and provide members with essential knowledge, skills and legal values according to a strategic plan set by the ministry.
The workshop was presented by Abdul Rahman Ali Malhiyah, head of the Legal Awareness Unit at CLJS. He addressed the crime of electronic blackmail in light of the legal provisions and its risks to society’s security and safety, identifying it as a form of modern electronic crime. The session covered the dangers and motives of electronic blackmail, its stages, ways to avoid falling victim to it, and the penalties prescribed for such crimes.
Malhiyah introduced the attendees to the concept of electronic blackmail, explaining it as a threat or intimidation tactic involving the publication of pictures, film materials, or the leaking of confidential information related to the victim. The aim is to extort money or force the victim to perform illegal acts, such as disclosing confidential information about their employer or engaging in other illicit activities.
The workshop detailed the steps victims should take if targeted by blackmailers, emphasising the importance of not communicating with the blackmailer and reporting such incidents directly to the competent authorities, specifically the Anti-Cybercrime Center at the Criminal Investigation Department.
It also highlighted the severe penalties imposed on perpetrators of extortion crimes. The Qatari legislator has increased these penalties due to the significant threat these crimes pose to societal security and safety. The legal framework for these penalties is outlined in Article 9 of Law No. (14) of 2014, which addresses the Cybercrime Prevention Law, and Article 325 of Law No. (11) of 2004, which promulgates the Penal Code.
