Qatar

Reservations made upon ratification:

(1) The State of Qatar does not consider itself bound by the provisions of Articles (16), (15), and (14) of the Convention, as they contradict the provisions of Islamic Sharia, national legislation, and the social and cultural values of the State of Qatar.
(2) The State of Qatar does not consider itself bound by paragraph (2) of Article (63) of the Convention regarding recourse to the International Court of Justice.

Upon signature:

Rerservation :
“... with reservation on the provisions of paragraph (1) of article 23 of the Convention.”
Reservation:

The State of Qatar does not consider itself bound by article 23, paragraph 1 of the Convention concerning referral to the International Court of Justice.

Reservation made upon signature and confirmed upon ratification:

... with reservation on the provisions of paragraph 2 of article 66 of the Convention, concerning arbitration and referring the dispute to the International Court of Justice, under the name of the State of Qatar.

Declaration made upon accession:

The State of Qatar does not consider itself bound by the provisions of paragraph (2) of Article (16) of this Protocol, relating to the settlement of disputes.

Declaration made upon accession:

1. The State of Qatar is not a party to the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, referred to in paragraph (1) of Article (19) of this Protocol.
2. The State of Qatar does not consider itself bound by the provisions of paragraph (2) of Article (20) of this Protocol, relating to the settlement of disputes.

Reservations:

First - The State of Qatar has reservations on the following:
1. Paragraph 3(d) of Article 6, which reads: “Employment, educational and training opportunities”.
2. Paragraph 1 of Article 7, which states that: “each State Party shall consider adopting legislative or other appropriate measures that permit victims of trafficking in persons to remain in its territory, temporarily or permanently, in appropriate cases”.
Second - The State of Qatar declares that it does not consider itself bound by the provisions of Paragraph 2 of Article 15 which deals with the issue of settlement of disputes concerning the interpretation or application of this Protocol.

Reservation:

… with a reservation regarding paragraph 2 of Article (35) concerning the submission of dispute to International Arbitration or to the International Court of Justice.

Declaration:

Pursuant to paragraph 2 of article 3 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict,
The State of Qatar declares that recruitment to its armed forces and other regular forces is voluntary and is for those who have attained the age of 18 years and that it takes account of the safeguards set forth in paragraph 3 of the same article.
In making this declaration, the State of Qatar affirms that its national legislation makes no provision for any form of compulsory or coercive recruitment.

Reservation:

… with reservation regarding paragraph 1 of Article (24) concerning the submission of disputes to International Arbitration or to the International Court of Justice.

Reservation:

… with reservation regarding paragraph 1 of Article (20) concerning the submission of disputes to international arbitration or to the International Court of Justice.

29 April 2009

Whereas the Government of the State of Qatar ratified the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child on 3 April 1995, and entered a general reservation concerning any of its provisions that are inconsistent with the Islamic sharia;
Whereas the Council of Ministers decided at its fourth ordinary meeting of 2009, held on 28 January 2009, to approve the partial withdrawal by the State of Qatar of its general reservation, which shall continue to apply in respect of the provisions of articles 2 and 14 of the Convention;
Now therefore We declare, by means of the present instrument, the partial withdrawal by the State of Qatar of its general reservation, which shall continue to apply in respect of the provisions of articles 2 and 14 of the Convention.

Reservations:

“ … the State of Qatar :
1) partially withdraws its general reservation, while keeping in effect a limited general reservation within the framework of Articles 1 and 16 of the Convention, and
2) withdraws its reservation to the mandate of the Committee against Torture as stipulated in Articles 21 and 22 of the Convention.”

Upon signature:

The State of Qatar declares that its signature of the Con- vention on the Law of the Sea shall in no way imply recognition of Israel or any dealing with Israel or, lead to entry with Israel into any of the relations governed by the Convention or entailed by the implementation of the provisions thereof.

Reservations:

1. Article 2 (a) in connection with the rules of the hereditary transmission of authority, as it is inconsistent with the provisions of article 8 of the Constitution.
2. Article 9, paragraph 2, as it is inconsistent with Qatar’s law on citizenship.
3. Article 15, paragraph 1, in connection with matters of inheritance and testimony, as it is inconsistent with the provisions of Islamic law.
4. Article 15, paragraph 4, as it is inconsistent with the provisions of family law and established practice.
5. Article 16, paragraph 1 (a) and (c), as they are inconsistent with the provisions of Islamic law.
6. Article 16, paragraph 1 (f), as it is inconsistent with the provisions of Islamic law and family law. The State of Qatar declares that all of its relevant national legislation is conducive to the interest of promoting social solidarity.
...
3. In accordance with article 29, paragraph 2, of the Convention, the State of Qatar declares, under the terms of that text, that it does not consider itself bound by paragraph 1 of that article.
Declaration:
1. The Government of the State of Qatar accepts the text of article 1 of the Convention provided that, in accordance with the provisions of Islamic law and Qatari legislation, the phrase “irrespective of their marital status” is not intended to encourage family relationships outside legitimate marriage. It reserves the right to implement the Convention in accordance with this understanding.
2. The State of Qatar declares that the question of the modification of “patterns” referred to in article 5 (a) must not be understood as encouraging women to abandon their role as mothers and their role in child-rearing, thereby undermining the structure of the family.

Reservation:

… the State of Qatar accede[s] to the Convention Against the Taking of Hostages of 1979, with reservation [to] paragraph 1 of article 16 of the Convention.

Reservation:

The State of Qatar does not consider itself bound by article 52 of the Convention, concerning referral to the International Court of Justice.

Reservations upon accession:

The State of Qatar does not consider itself bound by the following provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights for the below mentioned reasons:
1. Article 3 with regard to provisions related to the inheritance of power, for it contravenes the provisions of article 8 of the Constitution.
2. Article 23.4, for it contravenes the Islamic Sharia.
Statements upon accession:

1. The State of Qatar shall interpret the term “punishment” in Article 7 of the Covenant in accordance with the applicable legislation of Qatar and the Islamic Sharia.
2. The State of Qatar shall interpret Article 18, paragraph 2, of the Covenant based on the understanding that it does not contravene the Islamic Sharia. The State of Qatar reserves the right to implement such paragraph in accordance with such understanding.
3. The State of Qatar shall interpret that the term “trade unions” and all related matters, as mentioned in Article 22 of the Covenant, are in line with the Labor Law and national legislation. The State of Qatar reserves the right to implement such article in accordance with such understanding.
4. The State of Qatar shall interpret Article 23, paragraph 2, of the Covenant in a manner that does not contravene the Islamic Sharia. The State of Qatar reserves the right to implement such paragraph in accordance with such understanding.
5. The State of Qatar shall interpret Article 27 of the Covenant that professing and practicing one's own religion require that they do not violate the rules of public order and public morals, the protection of public safe[t]y and public health, or the rights of and basic freedoms of others.

Reservation:

The State of Qatar does not consider itself bound by the provisions of Article 3 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, for they contravene the Islamic Sharia with regard to questions of inheritance and birth.
Statement:

The State of Qatar shall interpret that what is meant by “trade unions” and their related issues stated in Article 8 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Right[s], is in line with the provisions of the Labor Law and national legislation. The State of Qatar reserves the right to implement that article in accordance with such understanding.

1. Article 35, paragraph 3:

The Government of Qatar reserves the right to open the consular bag in the following cases:
(a) Where it is evident that the consular bag is being used for unlawful purposes that are incompatible with the objectives for which immunities with respect to the bag were codified. In such a case, the diplomatic mission concerned and its Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be notified, the bag shall be opened with the approval of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, and the items determined to be in the bag shall be confiscated in the presence of a representative of the mission to which the bag belongs;
(b) Where the State of Qatar has strong reasons, supported by prima facie evidence, to believe that the consular bag has been used for unlawful purposes, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar may request the consular mission concerned to open the bag in order to ascertain its contents. It shall be opened in the presence of a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and one member of the mission to which the bag belongs. Should the mission refuse the request to open the bag, then the bag must be returned to its place of origin.
2. Article 36, paragraph 1:
The rights accorded in this article shall not extend to those consular employees who are engaged in administrative tasks or to the members of their families.
3. Article 49:
Local personnel employed by consulates shall not be exempt from the dues and taxes stipulated in this article that are imposed by domestic laws.
4. Accession to the Convention shall under no circumstances imply recognition of Israel and shall not lead to any such dealings with it as are governed by the provisions of the Convention.

I. On article 27, para. 3:
The Government of the State of Qatar reserves its right to open a diplomatic bag in the following two situations:
1. The abuse, observed in flagrante delicto, of the diplo- matic bag for unlawful purposes incompatible with the aims of the relevant rule of immunity, by putting therein items other that the diplomatic documents and articles for official use mentioned in para.4 of the said article, in violation of the obligations prescribed by the Government and by international law and custom.
In such a case both the foreign Ministry and the Mission concerned will be notified. The bag will not be opened except with the approval by the Foreign Ministry.
The contraband articles will be seized in the presence of a representative of the Ministry and the Mission.
2. The existence of strong indications or suspicions that the said violations have been perpetrated.
In such a case the bag will not be opened except with the approval of the Foreign Ministry and in the presence of a member of the Mission concerned. If permission to open the bag is denied it will be returned to its place of origin.
II. On article 37, para. 2:
The State of Qatar shall not be bound by para. 2 of article 37.
III. Accession to this Convention does not mean in any way recognition of Israel and does not entail entering with it into any transactions regulated by this Convention.