25 October 2011
DOHA: Traders violating the provisions of the Consumer Protection Law will face fines ranging from QR3,000 to QR1m or imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years, according to an amendment to the law issued by the Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
This decision will be published on the Ministry website and two daily newspapers on the expense of the offender.
The owner of the shop has the right to complain to the Minister of Business and Trade against the decision in seven days from the date of closure.
And the Minister will take a decision on the complaint in 10 days after receiving the complaint. If 10 days have passed without any decision, the complaint will be considered rejected.
DOHA: Traders violating the provisions of the Consumer Protection Law will face fines ranging from QR3,000 to QR1m or imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years, according to an amendment to the law issued by the Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
The Emir has issued Law No 14 of 2011 to amend some provisions of Law No 8 of 2008 concerning consumer protection.
The new law has amended Article No 18 of Law No 8 of 2008 by toughening the penalties for violating any article of the third chapter of the law. The maximum fines for violations has been raised from QR50,000 to QR1m.
The violators may also face both the penalties together, depending on the seriousness of the offence.
The supplier can face a fine not less than QR15,000 and not more than QR1m if he fails to inform the customer in clear way the health risks of using a commodity or service. The punishment will be doubled if the supplier repeats the crime in five years.
The law also allows the authorities concerned to close down a shop violating the law for one month in the first instance, for two months in the second time, and not more than three months in the third.This decision will be published on the Ministry website and two daily newspapers on the expense of the offender.
The owner of the shop has the right to complain to the Minister of Business and Trade against the decision in seven days from the date of closure.
And the Minister will take a decision on the complaint in 10 days after receiving the complaint. If 10 days have passed without any decision, the complaint will be considered rejected.
© The Peninsula 2011
