07 October 2015

Plan to curb social media misuse

DOHA: The GCC states are currently working on a unified law to combat terrorism, H E Dr Hassan Lahdan Saqr Al Mohannadi, Minister of Justice, said here yesterday.

A unified GCC law is also in the making to deal with misuse of social media, the minister said, on the sidelines of the 27th meeting of justice ministers of GCC countries opened here yesterday.

The meeting approved an extradition treaty between the member states for exchange of criminals and the accused. Qatar is hosting the meeting as it is heading the ministerial council.

Asked if the meeting has discussed the issue of terrorism, Al Mohannadi said that the ministers have given initial approval for a proposal on preparing a unified GCC counter-terrorism law. The proposal will be referred to the officials in the international cooperation committee to study and present it at the next meeting.

The meeting discussed a Qatari proposal for establishment of a legal network at the GCC and Arab level for exchange of expertise in areas of judicial training, legal profession and family reconciliation, among others. The meeting also discussed a number of topics that will help strengthen judicial and legal cooperation between the member states.

On an initiative by Saudi Arabia to award capital punishment for circulating rumours on social media, the Minister said that the State Cabinet approved amendments in the penal law recently to criminalise misuse of social networks and other types of abuses. This is going to be introduced as a unified law and will be presented in a meeting of the GCC heads of states.

On challenges facing GCC states at the legal and judicial level, Al Mohannadi said the challenges are similar due to similarity of the situation in these countries.

"Qatar as a member state seeks to develop joint vision in this area and to promote our relations with other member countries with a unified vision," said the minister.

He said Qatar and other GCC states are also working on joint initiatives to develop e-justice in the region. A joint website for the GCC states has been launched with this objective.

"The meeting is being held under tough challenges facing our world and the region, that are putting more responsibility on the justice ministers and legal bodies in the member countries," said Al Mohannadi.

In his opening speech, the minister urged the GCC secretariat to develop a plan to implement what the ministers decide in the meeting

© The Peninsula 2015