Three years in jail, QR100,000 fine for online blackmail in Qatar: MoI

Doha, Qatar - The Ministry of Interior has warned that online blackmail and extortion can result in up to three years in prison and a fine of QR100,000. This stern warning came during a webinar titled 'Cybercrimes and Methods of Prevention', aimed at educating the public about the dangers of cybercrime. Officer First Lieutenant Engineer Adnan Hasan Al Rashid of the Economic and Electronic Crime Prevention Department explained that blackmail falls under the category of crimes committed through illegal use of information systems and the internet.

Article 6 of Qatar's Cybercrime Prevention Law No. 14 of 2014 stipulates that using an information network or technology to threaten or blackmail someone into doing or refraining from certain actions is punishable by imprisonment for up to three years, a fine of up to QR100,000, or either penalty. Al Rashid emphasized the importance of public awareness and urged victims to report such incidents promptly, as swift reporting can aid in investigations since digital evidence can be lost or tampered with.

During the webinar, Al Rashid advised residents to employ strong, regularly changed passwords and avoid using easily guessable personal information. He recommended enabling two-factor authentication, updating applications and operating systems, and backing up important data to safeguard against cyberattacks. Email security was stressed, advising users to enable two-step verification, add recovery contact details, and avoid clicking on suspicious links or opening messages from untrusted sources.

Residents were also cautioned against taking photographs of others without consent, respecting privacy laws, and removing unauthorized images. He cautioned about the risk of scammers impersonating family members, urging special vigilance among the elderly. The webinar identified several types of cybercrimes, including hacking, online fraud, threats and blackmail, child exploitation, and rumor dissemination.

The Economic and Electronic Crime Prevention Department receives complaints, investigates cybercrimes using advanced tools, monitors suspicious activities, and conducts public awareness campaigns.