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Doha, Qatar: Taking photos or videos of people injured or killed in accidents without legal authorisation is prohibited under Qatari law, a legal expert has said, warning that filming an accident scene out of curiosity or for social media can expose individuals to legal accountability.
Khadija Al-Saigh, lawyer and legal consultant, said during an interview with Al Rayyan TV that members of the public should focus on alerting emergency services and assisting the authorities rather than taking out their phones to record people involved in accidents.
Al-Saigh said some people may justify recording an accident as an attempt to raise awareness, but stressed that public awareness is the responsibility of the competent authorities.
"If you see an accident, why don't you call the ambulance or police instead of filming?" she said.
She also highlighted the impact such images can have on the families of victims, particularly when relatives learn about an injury or death after encountering images on social media before receiving information through official channels.
Qatar's Penal Code expressly addresses the issue.
Under Article 333 of Qatar's Penal Code, taking or transmitting photos or videos of people injured or who have died in accidents, except in circumstances authorised by law, is punishable by up to two years in prison, a fine of up to QR10,000, or either penalty.
The law also prohibits taking or transmitting photographs or videos of people in public places with the intention of using them for abuse or defamation, while providing protections against other forms of intrusion into private life.
The distinction between documenting an accident for the authorities and filming victims for circulation on social media is particularly important.
The Ministry of Interior has previously clarified that motorists can record an accident scene when necessary for reporting it through official channels.
An accident report submitted through the Metrash app can include a vehicle's plate number and up to four photographs of the scene, provided passengers and people involved in the accident are not photographed.
The Ministry has urged the public to report accidents through Metrash and official channels rather than posting accident images or videos on social media.
Al-Saigh also cautioned against another increasingly common social media practice, forwarding information, videos or messages without first checking whether they are authentic.
She said receiving information does not mean it should automatically be forwarded, urging users to first consider whether the information is accurate and whether circulating it could cause harm.
The lawyer stressed that simply saying "I only forwarded it" does not necessarily remove responsibility when a person has contributed to the circulation of content.
Her comments echo recent official warnings in Qatar over the circulation of unverified material and footage from incident sites.
In March, the Ministry of Interior warned against gathering at incident locations or photographing and sharing videos of ongoing field developments, saying such behaviour could hinder ambulances, Civil Defence units and security patrols and affect response times and public safety.
Al-Saigh said people should develop a basic understanding of the laws governing their everyday activities, particularly as mobile phones and social media make it possible to record and distribute material within seconds.
She encouraged members of the public who are uncertain about their legal rights or obligations to consult legal professionals and reliable legal sources before acting or circulating potentially sensitive content.
Al-Saigh concluded by urging members of the public to be more cautious when dealing with content received or recorded on their phones, particularly before sharing it with others.
She said greater awareness of everyday legal responsibilities can help people avoid violations that may arise from seemingly routine actions, such as filming an accident or forwarding unverified content on social media.
