Prof Dr Rana Atour
Professor of Public Law
College of Law, University of Qatar
Doha, State of Qatar

Abstract:

The Qatari legislator has spared no effort in organizing the Shura Council elections and punishing crimes that violate its integrity, at every stage, whether in the preparatory stage for the electoral process or in the course of the electoral process. With regard to electoral crimes during the preparatory phase of the electoral process, the Qatari legislator punished each of the crimes related to the organization of the electoral process, the electoral crimes related to registration in the voter list, and the electoral crimes related to the electoral campaign, whether related to its financing, organization or practice.
As for electoral crimes during the course of the electoral process, the Qatari legislator punished – on the one hand – the crimes accompanying the elections: as he punished influencing voters (by financial means – or by using force or threats – or by spreading electoral rumors or false statements); and punished the illegal election (such as the election following the forfeiture of the right to vote – impersonation of a name or adjective – and repeated election); In addition to the punishment for breaching the regularity of the elections (such as entering the polling hall unnecessarily and not complying with going out – carrying weapons in the polling hall – or photographing the voter’s voting card or taking it out from the headquarters of the committee – or participating in demonstrations). On the other hand, the crimes associated with sorting and announcing the results were punished. such as seizing the voter list or electoral paper and seizing the ballot box.
Keywords: electoral crimes, electoral bribery, vote buying, and electoral fraud.

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