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The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has hailed Qatar’s efforts to improve the employment culture saying the recent reforms have contributed to ensuring the protection of human and labour rights of migrant workers. Addressing a press conference in Doha on Sunday, general secretary of the organisation Kwasi Adu-Amakwah welcomed the reforms and said they are progressive. He is part of the ITUC Africa delegation that concluded yesterday a two-day working mission. The visit was a follow-up to the commitment that the African Workers Group made during the 2021 Africa-Arab Labour Migration Webinar Conference hosted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), in order to continue to explore ways to build cohesion and find means to improve fair recruitment and general labour migration governance. “From the visits and interactions with workers, we are confident that the reforms are real and are being implemented, albeit with some challenges," Adu-Amakwah said. "Qatar has established several best practice initiatives such as the elimination of exit visas while giving freedom to change employers. These have led to the progressive reform of the sponsorship system. Also, it has implemented a national minimum wage payment that includes accommodation and feeding, and those who opt out of company accommodation and feeding provisions have the option of being paid in lieu,” he said, noting that the reforms have also delivered improved health and safety requirements in construction sites and anywhere the temperature exceeds a certain degree. The ITUC-Africa general secretary observed that signing of labour contracts in Qatar Visa Centres (QVC) before migrant workers’ departure to avoid discrepancies upon arrival in Qatar, and the establishment of workers’ representative councils have resulted in ensuring the rights of workers. The delegation that included 11 members from eight African countries visited several places – work and construction sites, organisations and interacted with different categories of stakeholders involved in and connected to the reform processes such as ILO officials, officials from the Ministry and Minister of Labour as well as the Qatar Human Rights Committee and the Shura Council. Adu-Amakwah said that the mission was undertaken as a way of building and enhancing social dialogue between Qatar and the African trade union movement. “It should be recalled that there is a significant and growing number of African migrants living and working in Qatar. Also, in the wake of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, migrant inflow to Qatar significantly increased,” he said and added that the union will encourage the workers who want to opt for Qatar as a workplace. The delegation also visited and interacted with migrant workers, especially those from Africa and obtained first-hand information about their working conditions. “The Afghan evacuation is a strong show of solidarity and pragmatic demonstration of Qatar’s commitment to our shared humanity,” he said. The ITUC-Africa official said there are certain challenges when it comes to implementing the reforms and said there is still room for improvement as the efforts are work in progress. ITUC president Ayuba Wabba said that certain recommendations have been given to the Qatar government and the organisation will continue to work with Qatar in order to achieve improvement in work culture. Botswana Federation of Trade Unions president Martha Molema and Secretary-General of Central Organisation of Trade Unions, Kenya, Francis Atwoli were also present.    

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will meet on Monday with President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ebrahim Raisi, who will arrive in the country on a state visit. The Amir and the Iranian President will discuss at the Amiri Diwan the relations between the two countries and the prospects for their development, in addition to a number of issues of common concern.  

Showcasing various varieties of honey and the growing richness of Qatar’s local vegetable farming, the Agricultural Products and Local Honey Exhibition started at Al Ahmad Square in Souq Waqif on Sunday. Organised by the Ministry of Municipality and Souq Waqif Management, the festival has about 70 pavilions, representing many farms and apiaries that display local agricultural products, fresh fruits and honey. Souq Waqif director Mohammed Abdullah al-Salem, in a statement to official Qatar News Agency (QNA), said that the event will serve the producer and the consumer while providing an ideal marketing experience in a tourist attraction that brings together visitors from among citizens and residents of different nationalities. “The prices of vegetables and Qatari honey are competitive," he said while pointing out that the exhibition comes in support of Qatari farm produce and also introduces local honey-producing companies. Al-Salem explained that the administration provides continuous support through such exhibitions and festivals to market their products in the Souq's squares. He also stressed that Souq Waqif administration is keen to adhere to the precautionary measures followed in the country against Covid-19. Ameen Abu Assim, a honey seller from Hadramout in Yemen, said he has brought varieties including Sidr Usaimi, Sidr Do’ani, Sumar Honey and white honey. Farm produce sellers said mushrooms, tomato and cucumber are great in demand as many opt to buy fresh vegetables from the stalls here. Also, pumpkins, beans, cabbage, brinjal, cauliflower, broccoli and capsicum are available. Some pavilions have dry dates on sale while others sell locally produced eggs. Running until March 1, the exhibition is held from 9am to 9pm, Saturday to Wednesday, and 9am to 10pm on Thursday and Friday.    

The 'Park and Ride' facility is available near four Doha Metro stations - Lusail, Education City, Al Wakra and Al Qassar, the Ministry of Transport has said. "'Park and Ride' supports the country’s public transportation network and Doha Metro services for members of the society, visitors and FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 fans," the ministry said in a tweet Saturday. "The service is available at four locations near Doha Metro stations." As part of this initiative, free parking spaces are provided to passengers who can park their vehicles and avail of Metro services to reach their destinations. The project is being implemented as part of the ministry's efforts to provide high-quality transportation services and modern parking facilities that are strategically distributed across the country and accessible for everyone easily and affordably. It is aimed at encouraging vehicle owners to use the modern public transportation systems while helping them save time and cost. The project comes as part of the ministry's Public Bus Infrastructure Programme that has been envisioned to improve services on public roads and at major intersections by achieving smoother traffic flow, less congestion and less carbon emissions while providing a significant enhancement to Qatar’s public transportation network. It supports the country’s public transportation network and Doha Metro services for citizens, residents, visitors, and FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 fans who can make use of public transportation to reach World Cup stadiums. The Public Bus Infrastructure Programme, implemented by the ministry in co-ordination with the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), also includes the construction of bus depots. Work is under way to establish bus terminals in Lusail, Al Wakra, Education City and the Industrial Area, while one terminal was opened in Al Sudan last year.

While reiterating that Qatar's foreign policy is based on the principle of co-operation and international peace, HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said that the country is committed to alleviate humanitarian and political crises through developmental aid, counter-terrorism efforts and assistance. Speaking at the Chatham House panel discussion in the UK Wednesday, he said: "2022 is the year to solve the crises and Qatar is functioning through its resources while urging for international cooperation. Recent incidents have highlighted the importance of international cooperation and the crises can be addressed only through international efforts, not unilateral ones,” he said, adding that mediation is at the core of Qatar's diplomacy and it has a sense of optimism. Asked about ties with the US and China, HE Sheikh Mohamed said that Qatar has a strong relation with both but not limited to any particular sector. “We have a long time relationship with the US in defence, energy and education sectors with a diplomatic relationship of 50 years. We have achieved progress while supporting the anti-ISIS combat. And we demonstrated partnership in the Afghanistan issue while hosting the mediation talks for about seven years and supporting the evacuation. We work in an international and multilateral environment. The US is a partner in various sectors and cooperates in solving various issues, holding nuclear talks with Iran and resolving the Israel-Palestine issue,” the minister said, noting that Qatar worked well with the Trump administration. “China is one of our largest consumers of gas. We have a strong security relationship with the US and a growing economic relationship with China," he said. “There is a better environment for talks between Iran and the US. And we are trying to understand how the gaps could be bridged. It’s in our interest to reach an agreement with Iran and GCC. We hope that we can have a positive outcome in the near future,” he explained. HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs said there is a positive momentum to strengthen the ties among Gulf countries after years of crisis in order to help the people get benefits noting that trade talks are to be started. GCC has a close coordination in the Afghanistan issue. A meeting was recently held in Doha to create a better understanding. "It is unfortunate that there is no Arab leadership in conflict areas in the Middle East. We need a comprehensive dialogue with the non-Arab states like Iran and Turkey. In Iraq, Yemen, and Palestine, we need to consider Arab interests," he said. In the Israel-Palestine issue, mediation is the core principle of Qatar's foreign policy. “We are taking up efforts to alleviate the suffering Palestinian people, especially in Gaza. The treatment for the issue is for Israelis to come to the table and secure a two state solution through a peace process," he said. While asked about supporting Hamas, Sheikh Mohamed explained that Qatar is supporting the people of Palestine and noted that many Arab countries do not list Hamas as a terrorist organisation as they are under occupation and Hamas is a component of Palestinian society. “We condemn all attacks on civilians,” he said. Regarding Afghanistan, he affirmed that Qatar is ensuring the fund for counter terrorism is not going to wrong hands and wants the frozen financial assets to go to the Afghan people. “We are working closely with Europe and the US. We don't want the Afghan people to suffer just because the Taliban are disliked internationally. Recapitalising the Afghan economy needs collective efforts by the international community," he said. “We want to bring the Yemeni people together and stop the crisis. We have educated 10mn children in different conflict zones. We try to teach them to carry pens as their weapons, not the traditional weapons to maintain their statuesque,” he said. With the current energy crisis, Sheikh Mohamed said Qatar is looking to expand its capacity of production while working to build a longer plan for supplies of gas to Europe. Qatar is taking environmental policies into consideration. “Qatar has been very much looking at environmental policies. The country has a leading role in reducing carbon emission. We work on generating solar energy and renewable energy plays a significant role in energy generation in Qatar,” he said. HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs explained that Qatar has helped around 50 countries to ease the adversity of Covid-19 crisis and is actively supporting Gavi, the vaccine alliance. "As we approach the 2022 World Cup, it’s a privilege to host the first World Cup in the Middle East and in an Arab country. I look forward to welcoming you all in November to cheer your teams,” he added.

Qatar has made remarkable progress in employing people with disabilities and their employment rate has reached 80% in government and private institutions. Engineer Ahmed al-Mohannadi, vice chairman of the Voluntary Committee for Employing the Disabled, told Qatar TV’s Hayatna programme on Sunday that this could be achieved through collective efforts by the ministries and other entities concerned. Al-Mohannadi, also a trainer, noted that the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Labour, and Qatar Olympic Committee provide training to job aspirants with disabilities before they are employed. “We are thankful that most of the ministries and private companies tend to train the persons with disabilities in order to make them fit for the job,” he said, adding that the Voluntary Committee for Employing the Disabled also supports job seekers to get training. Al-Mohannadi noted that the employment rate could be increased if more efforts are taken. Recently he interacted with the public through a Twitter Spaces session while seeking suggestions about the rights and duties and measures to support and employ people with disabilities. The suggestions and recommendations include the necessity of employing psychologists in evaluating students with disabilities before they enter schools, interest in spreading awareness about the services provided to people with disabilities and the way to obtain them and and extending the period of renewal of parking permits for permanent disabilities as long as possible.    

*Public urged to report online fraud immediately Photographing accidents by mobile phones and cameras is a crime, which is punishable according to Qatar Penal Code, an official of the Ministry of Interior has said. “In 2017, Law No. 4 of 2017 was issued amending Article 333 of the Penal Code in the State of Qatar in order to add the criminalisation of unauthorised photography through cameras and mobile phones; not only accidents, but everything that violates the sanctity of private life. The article stipulates that any violator of this law shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years and by a fine not exceeding QR 10,000,” he explained. While reiterating its advice to be cautious to online fraud, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) has urged the public to report such case immediately to the authorities concerned. First Lt. Sheikh Ahmed Hamad Hasan al-Thani, awareness officer at Cyber and Financial Crimes Prevention Department, said the Cyber and Financial Crimes Prevention Department should be informed about the incident immediately through email, phone, Metrash2 or by personal presence in order to initiate search and investigation. First Lt. Sheikh Ahmed, awareness officer at Cyber and Financial Crimes Prevention Department, was addressing a webinar on Cyber and Financial Crimes , organised by the Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) Wednesday. He said blackmailing is a crime and it draws punishment. “Upon falling victim to blackmailing, don’t respond to the perpetrator at all, and block him from all communication channels.The Economic and Cyber Crime Combating Department must be informed directly through the available reporting channels,” he said. “The Department mainly collects inferences, investigates, probes and searches for perpetrators with the use of the latest tools, programmes and methods to track down the perpetrators and reach their real identities via the internet. The department is also responsible for monitoring all that would violate the law or security of cyberspace. The department receives complaints from the public and companies and then proceeds with its policing work in collecting inferences to find out the perpetrator,” he said. “As per the Qatar Law No. 14 of 2014 (Cybercrime Prevention Law), any act involving an unlawful use of an information technology technique, an information system or the Internet illegally, in violation of the provisions of this law is cybercrime. The penalties in Law No. 14 of 2014, the Cyber Crime Prevention Law in the country vary according to the offence, ranging from six months to five years imprisonment and fines ranging from QR 10,000 to 500,000,” he explained. The officer also urged the public to be careful while using credit cards and protect cards and email. Sharing tips to protect credit/debit cards, First Lt. Sheikh Ahmed said: “Personal information should not be disclosed by email, such as name and credit card number. Non-disclosure of the credit card PIN to anyone, regardless of his level of importance. Always try to memorise the card’s PIN and avoid writing it. If the payment is made in a restaurant or anywhere, you must ask the staff there to bring the mobile payment device and should not give him the card and the password. Make sure to use safe and trusted sites when using the card, and do not purchase from fake or unknown sites. The bank must be directly informed in case of discovering any fraud and theft, and then a complaint should be filed at the Economic and Electronic Crime Prevention Department.” Regarding email, he urged the public to perform a two-step verification process to secure email access. Additional security measures should be set up in the email, such as a phone number and a backup email. Don’t open links from un-trusted sources. Use updated security tools on computers, such as anti-virus programmes and firewalls. Don’t open suspicious or anonymous attachments. Personal information should not be disclosed by email, such as name and credit card number, date of birth and address,” he said. He advised parents to block inappropriate websites for children and said phones or computers should not be left with children unattended. “All latest phones come with Kids Mode, where most harmful content is automatically blocked for children. Parental control applications can be used to filter harmful content in children's phones,” he said.

Katara- the Cultural Village hosted a slew of sporting and recreational activities on the occasion of National Sport Day on Tuesday. People of different ages and walks of life participated in the activities, which were organised by Katara with the aim of promoting awareness of the importance of practising sports, raising the level of fitness and capabilities, spreading its culture among all members of the society, and consolidating it as a way of life. With three areas allocated for various sports and games, Katara drew members of the public to its beach, southern area and Katara Hills where hundreds spent hours while engaging in physical activities from 8am to 4pm. The beach witnessed some volleyball action and water sports as participants showcased their skills. The Qatar Basketball Federation set up exclusive play areas in the southern area of Katara while karate, cycling and various other games were hosted at different spots. The Katara Hills area was dedicated to marathons, walking, aerobics and fitness classes. The kids' play area saw the joyous participation of children who enjoyed the games there. Some of them also tried their hand at kite flying. Families, both Qataris and residents, had a good time at Katara. "Indeed, the day has been made great with Katara welcoming all. We had a good time here and all facilities, including different kinds of public amenities and refreshments, were arranged for families,” a visitor told Gulf Times. Some of the participating companies gifted children toys and games equipment. People with special needs also had their share of sports classes, where they participated in a basketball match from their wheelchairs. An official press statement by Katara noted that the activities were carried out with the participation of 30 entities, including ministries, sports organisations, clubs, health institutions and private companies. Katara general manager Prof Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti noted that Qatar’s vision is successful in raising awareness of the importance of practising sports for the health of the individual and society. He added that Katara has worked since the issuance of the Amiri decree in 2011 to approve National Sport Day to support the country’s efforts to spread the culture of sports throughout the year with various activities, tournaments and local and international sports events in co-operation with a large number of ministries health and sports centers in the country. He noted that Katara provides a suitable space for practising sports for various members of the community due to the diversity of its facilities and the availability of various services. He thanked all the entities that chose Katara to hold their activities for the public, saying this confirms the great confidence that Katara enjoys as a destination not only for tourism and culture in the country, but also for sports. Abdul Rahman al-Tamimi, chairman of the Organising Committee for Katara Activities on Sport Day, said Katara offered a variety of sports and awareness activities and events this year while covering different segments of society, from the young to the old.    

Syrian opposition forces have called for renewed efforts to wage a united struggle against the Bashar al-Assad regime and help realise the aspirations of the long-suffering Syrian people. The two-day ‘Whither Syria’ conference that started at Hotel Sheraton Doha Saturday, assessed the current Syrian situation and discussed the need to create new mechanisms to resolve the crisis. Salem al-Meslet, President of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, addressing the conference Attended by politicians, academics and experts, the conference, on the first day, discussed improving the performance of the opposition coalition and bringing in the political transition process. While addressing the opening session, Dr Riyad Hijab, former Prime Minister of Syria and General Coordinator of the High Negotiations Committee, said that there was a need to ensure that Syrians obtained all their legitimate rights and got rid of the repressive regime. Dignitaries attending 'Whither Syria' “Despite the grim situation in Syria today, we are more determined than ever to fulfill our people's demands, strengthen our national identity, achieve a political transition free of Assad regime and to unify our efforts to hold all perpetrators accountable while ensuring that they do not go unpunished,” he said and thanked Qatar for its firm principled positions and its support for international efforts to implement UN resolutions, for its call to hold those who committed violations against the Syrian people accountable and for hosting this symposium. First session of 'Whither Syria' is attended by politicians and academics Hijab emphasised his insistence on reaching a political solution and a complete transitional process in which Assad and his regime have no place, stressing that the regime's claim of victory is incorrect. The Syrian opposition requires to assume full responsibility and set national interest as its priority to launch a new episode in the battle in which Syrians will be given all their rights. Claiming that Bashar al-Assad has won against the Syrian people is far from reality, Hijab said his regime suffers heavy losses at all levels. “Syria has declined to the lowest levels of corruption, poverty, and unemployment in the world and Assad's exhausted allies fight a desperate battle to naturalise a regime that has lost its legitimacy,” he noted. Salem al-Meslet, President of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, presided over the first session on ‘Shifts of National and International Stances’. The symposium includes eight dialogue sessions, focusing on evaluating the current Syrian scene, anticipating challenges and expected scenarios and proposing mechanisms to deal with them, in addition to adopting recommendations that contribute to providing a comprehensive vision of the Syrian opposition’s work, to get out of the political, humanitarian and economic crises that Syrians suffer from.

More than 5.72mn transactions were completed through the Metrash2 application in 2021, it was revealed at a webinar organised by the Ministry of Interior (MoI) Tuesday. Residency renewal, according to figures provided by the MoI, was the most-used service on Metrash2 followed by traffic violation payment and adding/updating the National Address. Also, Metrash2 recorded transactions for vehicle renewal, vehicle ownership transfer and visa extension. The total number of transactions stood at 5,722,569 in 2021, the webinar was told. Addressing a webinar on "E-Services of the Ministry of Interior", First-Lieutenant Ali al-Eidrous from the General Directorate of Information Systems explained that Metrash2 has 2,087,529 active users. “In six languages, Metrash2 ensures secure and encrypted services while supporting multiple platforms with different screens. Metrash2 features more than 250 services for Qatari nationals, expatriates and companies,” he said, adding that it completes transactions while helping users save time and effort on a 24x7 basis. First-Lieutenant al-Eidrous explained various services offered through the app and said Metrash2 fixes issues automatically and gives notifications to users regularly. “The MoI has introduced the zero click concept for companies while enabling them to complete various transactions. A company is required only to register in the Automatic Residency Renewal section through Metrash2 and every month the service will renew the residency of employees automatically and send IDs to the company location without human intervention,” he said. He noted that Metrash2 is more than a profile and the Smart Dashboard facility features everything about the user on the screen. First-Lieutenant al-Eidrous noted that the E-Wallet service eases many proceedings as it can produce digital copies of key documents to avail of MoI services. The E-Wallet contains digital copies of important documents that people can produce while availing of different MoI services or if asked for by security or traffic patrols. It consists of official documents, including the Qatar ID card (residence permit), driving licence, vehicle registration and ownership of fancy/significant number. The public can use the E-Wallet while approaching various departments and sections of the MoI to avail of their services. The webinar also informed that the 2021 figure for Metrash2 transactions - 5,722,569 - marked a drop of 18.78 % compared to 2020, when 7,046,227 transactions were completed. The webinar attendees included HR and Admin officers, PROs and government relations officers of public and private companies, establishments and organisations.

Urging violators to utilise the grace period for correcting their residency status, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) has said there is no room for apprehension while approaching the authorities for this purpose. Capt Kamal Tahir al-Tayri from the Search and Follow Up Department said the violator will not be arrested while approaching the service centres or the Search and Follow Up Department. “We reiterate that there will be no legal consequence or action against those who avail of the grace period,” he said. _______________________________________ Read also: Make use of grace period to legalise residency status: MoI ________________________________________ Capt al-Tayiri urged expatriate leaders to encourage their community members to avail of the scheme. He urged the violators to utilise the grace period for correcting their status as early as possible before the deadline. “We need time to clear the proceedings before letting the violators leave the country. It’s very important to avoid delays in their transactions due to the possibility of some restrictions imposed against them without their knowledge that may prevent their travel, so that they can settle it and leave without hindrance within the prescribed period. So, we urge all not to wait till the deadline,” he said, while urging the residency law violators to benefit from the advantages granted during the period and co-operate with the competent authorities in implementing the prescribed legal procedures and not to delay or procrastinate in completing the procedures in advance.

* Ministry has provided all facilities for violators to correct their legal status The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has reiterated that the people concerned should make use of the grace period announced for violators of the provisions of Law No 21 for 2015, regulating the entry and exit of expatriates and their residence. The ministry has extended the deadline to March 31 in order to enable the maximum number of violators to make use of the grace period. While addressing a press conference Wednesday, officers from the Search and Follow Up Department and Unified Services Department said the departments are keen to consider the interests of company owners and expatriate workers and there is a 50% reduction in the violation settlement amount. ____________________________________ Read also: MoI assures no legal action against beneficiaries of grace period ____________________________________ “The ministry has provided all facilities for the violators to correct their legal status while they are inside the country by transferring from one employer to another or by leaving the country on their own while exempting them from all consequences of legal responsibility,” said Captain Kamal Tahir al-Tayri from the Search and Follow Up Department.        Target groups of the Search and           Follow Up Department * Expatriates who came to Qatar for work and stay in the country violating the residency law by not obtaining or not renewing the residence permit within the prescribed period and who have exceeded a period of 90 days from the validity date, and their employers haven’t filed an absconding complaint against them. * Expatriates who came to Qatar for work and stay in the country violating the law and an absconding complaint (Leaving the work – Violation of the purpose) has been filed against them by the employers, but 30 days haven’t been completed from the date of filing the complaint. * According to the procedure in the above two cases, the Search and Follow Up Department will ensure the departure of the violators after exempting them from all consequences of legal responsibility and they can return to Qatar on another visa. * Family residence permit holders and visitors who have violated the period of stay. * The expatriates who have violated the law and an absconding complaint (Leaving the work – Violation of the purpose) has been filed against them and more than 30 days have passed from the date of filing of the complaint. * Expatriates whose residence permits have been cancelled and have passed 90 days from the date of cancellation. The procedure in the above three cases, the Search and Follow Up Department will ensure the departure of the violators, while they can return to Qatar if they leave the country after accepting the legally recommended reconciliation. In all cases, the deportation of the minors under the age of 18 will be without a ban to return to Qatar, regardless of their violation of the provisions of the law, and they are exempted from any legal consequences. Captain Mohamed Ali al-Rashid from the Unified Services Department said the deadline was extended as part of MoI’s Guidelines for Taking Advantage of Grace Period. He also called upon people whose status has not been legalised by changing the employer during the given period - due to a failure to obtain approval from the competent authority because of not meeting the required legal conditions - to contact the relevant authorities and complete their procedures in accordance with the provisions of the law as the purpose of their stay in the country has ended. This is in order to leave the country soon and take advantage of the facilities granted during this period before its expiry and return to the country according to the procedures and conditions established by law. “The persons wishing to leave the country on their own during the grace period should adhere to the precautionary measures related to the travel policy of the destination country when leaving the country, as there were some problems related to vaccination and quarantine specified at the intended travel destination and also to follow the time limit of 10 days from the date of issuing the travel permit, set by the Search and Follow Up Department when completing the departure procedures,” he said. Speaking on the features of the grace period, Capt al-Tayri said the current grace period is distinctive from the previous one as it gives an opportunity to violators to correct their legal status by allowing them to change the employer in accordance with the regulations recognised by the competent authority, and exempting 50% of the fines imposed on them. In addition, it exempts violating expatriates who wish to leave the country on their own from legal responsibility. “The role of the Search and Follow Up Department is limited to ensuring the departure of the violating expatriates who wish to leave the country voluntarily, in a humane manner. It reflects the pioneering role of the State of Qatar in the field of human rights. The departure of violating expats is secured by exempting them from the fines incurred by them and without bearing any responsibility, and their transaction is completed as quickly and smoothly as possible without any delay,” he said. The violating expatriates have to approach the main reception of the Search and Follow Up Department with his/her passport and an open ticket, and the staff concerned will verify the data and complete all necessary procedures. Upon completion, a travel permit is issued to the violating person and hands it over to him to go to the airport as per the schedule mentioned on the ticket as an ordinary passenger. “The whole procedure at our department will not be taking more than three minutes and we will receive the applicants from 1pm to 6pm from Sunday to Thursday,” he added.

Prominent Islamic scholar Khaled Abu Moza has said entering mosques with Covid-19 infection is a sin, urging worshippers to adhere strictly to the Covid-19 precautionary measures. Speaking to Qatar TV, the preacher and Islamic educational lecturer said worshippers must ensure that they are not infected, and urged those infected to pray at home. “The infected persons must pray at home for the safety of others as whoever enters the mosque while infected is considered a sinner,” he said. Stressing the need to adhere to the necessary procedures when entering the mosque in order to limit the spread of Covid-19, he explained that worshippers must show the green status on Ehteraz and follow other relevant instructions as well. The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs has put several precautionary measures in place for mosque-goers in order to ensure the safety of worshippers and the society in general. These include showing the Ehteraz green status to staff before entering the mosque and bringing their own prayer mat. Also, the ministry has asked worshippers to wear masks and urged all who suffer from cold, cough and high temperature not to go to the mosque. Maintaining adequate distance during prayers is also mandatory.    

The Police College will be turned into an academy by next year, becoming a comprehensive entity that will bring together the training and education sectors at the Ministry of Interior (MoI), a senior official has said. This comes as part of a series of developments witnessed by the college since its establishment in 2013, Police College director-general Brigadier Abdul Rahman Majid al-Sulaiti said during his speech at the graduation ceremony of the fourth batch of student candidates yesterday. The college's ambition does not stop at a certain limit in the development process and it will move steadily towards transforming it into a police academy by next year, he noted. The official appreciated the great support provided by the wise leadership to the institution, which has witnessed development and excellence over the past eight years. Brigadier al-Sulaiti then referred to the development process that the college has seen since its establishment at various educational, academic and training levels. "The Police College pays most of its attention towards advancing the educational and training process in order to achieve the vision of the country’s wise leadership, which provides all possibilities for investment in education and placing it at the top of its priorities as it is an engine of development and one of the social rights enjoyed by Qatari citizens,” he said. Brigadier al-Sulaiti said the Police College has taken a unique path in the field of training, inspired by the best practical experiences, noting that it has achieved advanced positions in sports tournaments at the local and international levels. At the scientific and research levels, he explained that the college has issued a scientific journal specialised in legal and security studies, in which a group of professors in the legal and police fields took part. With regard to co-operation with its counterparts around the world, he said the college has joined a number of relevant federations, starting with the International Association of Police Academies (Interpa). "This was considered a great achievement for the college,” he added. Brigadier al-Sulaiti congratulated the graduates, calling on them to persevere, give, take responsibility, serve the country, protect its gains with honesty, sincerity and dedication, and deal with citizens, residents and visitors with respect and appreciation. The Police College celebrated the graduation of the fourth batch of 90 students, including 85 Qatari students from the Ministry of Interior, a number of military authorities in the country, and five students from Palestine. With the graduation of this new batch, the number of students who graduated from the college in the four batches reached about 420, including a number of students from Arab countries. (With inputs from QNA)    

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani on Thursday attended the graduation ceremony of the fourth batch of the Ministry of Interior's Police College at its headquarters in Al Sailiya where the Amir witnessed a colourful parade amid joyous mood. The function was also attended by ministers, senior MoI officials and representatives from various sisterly Arab and other countries.  A total of 91 candidates including students from Palestine graduated and the function was held amid Covid-19 precautionary and preventive measures. Also, Amir presented prizes to graduates who excelled in various fields during the study and training at the college. The function also witnessed a parade by the members of Officers of Tomorrow programme being implemented by the Police College. The graduates perform military shows of infantry, formations, and movements with weapons. The parade by the students heralded the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as the cadets formed into ‘We Welcome the World 2022’. While addressing the function, Director General of the Police College Brigadier Abdul Rahman Majid al-Sulaiti said the officers were given training in various fields and they can serve the country and the community well. He asked the graduates to keep their pledge to their country and the people and treat the citizens and residents equally while respecting them and their rights. 

While affirming his country's keenness to strengthen co-operation with Qatar, Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly Mustafa Sentop said Wednesday in Doha that steps are being taken to enhance the bilateral ties. "An agreement to strengthen parliamentary relations between the two countries has been signed earlier in the day," he told a press conference at the Turkish embassy. The memorandum of understanding was signed between HE the Speaker of the Shura Council Hassan bin Abdullah al-Ghanem and Sentop after the duo held an official meeting. The MoU envisages co-operation between the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and Qatar Shura Council. Sentop noted that experience and expertise in law-making will be shared between the two countries while the MoU will help legislators of the two countries understand the proceedings and working mechanism followed by the legislative house of Qatar and Turkey. “It aims to strengthen relations, coordinate positions in parliamentary forums, exchange experiences between the two sides, and deepen coordination on joint initiatives,” he explained. The speaker of Turkish Grand National Assembly hailed Qatar for selecting the Shura Council members through democratic process, saying it's a good example. “Turkey is glad to see the end of the Gulf crisis. The security of the Gulf is one of Turkey's security. Turkey wants Qatar and the Gulf region to live in stability and peace,” he said. Sentop stated Turkey is happy to see the great steps that Qatar is taking to host the FIFA 2022 World Cup, pointing out that his country will support Qatar for the mega event. “Turkey is part of the infrastructure works in Qatar and our security forces are set to assist Qatar,” he added.

President of National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Salem al-Meslet, has thanked Qatar for its firm and continuing support to Syrians while taking up efforts to solve the existing crisis. Addressing a press conference at the Syrian embassy in Doha Tuesday, he noted that Qatar is extending support at political, humanitarian, relief and other levels to solve the crisis. Al-Meslet explained that Qatar has affirmed its stand to continue the support and HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani assured him of further humanitarian aid for Syrian people. “We have seen from the Qatari brothers their firmness while supporting the Syrian cause and the Syrian people, and our meeting with Qatari officials was distinctive and positive,” he said, adding that consultation with Doha is important and continuous. “We need our brothers and listen to their point of view, and we need to search for and speed up finding a solution in order to end the Syrian suffering,” he said. Al-Meslet pointed out that the trilateral Qatar-Russia-Turkey coalition that was established in Doha last year has made some progress while working to solve the crisis. He said that he held conversations with UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen and US embassy Doha charge d’affaires Natalie A Baker. “The National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces is working hard in co-operation with various parties in Syria and abroad to ease the sufferings and lift the siege imposed by the Syrian regime on various areas,” he said adding that the coalition took many steps to resolve the crisis with support from more than 110 countries. He added that the Syrian people suffer in all aspects of life including education, health, food and other necessary matters and basic needs, as well as asylum, displacement and arrest, indicating that the coalition is working to alleviate this suffering for the people, and is struggling for it in cooperation with the relevant parties at home and abroad. He expressed his rejection of any Arab effort to normalise ties with the Syrian regime saying it's "reward for the regime for its crimes." "The regime's return to the Arab League, and any attempt to normalise relations with the regime is a reward for the regime for its crimes,” he explained. "We hope to find a quick solution to the Syrian issue, and we want to see a solution that relieves the suffering of our people," he added. Al-Meslet condemned the Houthi attack, which targeted two areas in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, and said: "We condemn every terrorist act targeting any Arab country.

The International Human Rights Day celebrations by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) yesterday highlighted Qatar's achievements and contributions in ensuring rights of children, women, workers and people with disabilities. The event at the Diplomatic Club was attended by MoFA Secretary-General HE Dr Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi, Department of Human Rights director Turki bin Abdullah al-Mahmoud and Arab Union of the Blind president Khalid al-Naemi and representatives from various ministries and government entities in the country. Speakers noted that Qatar has added remarkable achievements to its credit while working to protect the rights in the health sector along with social, economic, political and cultural fields. Also, it was noted that Qatar ensured representation in government bodies and in giving care to specially abled persons while protecting the rights of immigrant workers. Al-Hammadi said human rights protection is one of the priorities of Qatar and the celebration comes within the framework of raising awareness at the local and international levels about the International Human Rights Day. Several steps have been initiated and legislations made for ensuring the rights of all. Qatar made exploratory efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic to protect the rights of citizens and expatriates while making contributions and interventions regionally and internationally for the protection of human rights. Al-Mahmoud highlighted Qatar’s achievements while making efforts for protection of human rights locally, regionally and internationally, signing agreements and supporting various initiatives. He said various achievements were gained by Qatar while ensuring rights in various sectors including health, security, safety, infrastructure development, environment, sanitation and entertainment, adding that all enjoy the benefits of these achievements. He added that Qatar plays an important role in protecting human rights both at the local and international level. As part of the celebrations, an art exhibition was held with the participation of various entities. Ministries and government institutions set up pavilions that highlighted their contributions for human rights protection.