Jurisdiction-specific data protection, defamation law, and removal process information for Qatar. Last reviewed 2025.
Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT); National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) is the supervisory authority for data protection in Qatar. Individuals can file erasure and data-related complaints directly with this authority.
Law No. 13 of 2016 on Personal Data Protection (PDP Law); Cybercrime Prevention Law No. 14 of 2014
Qatar's Personal Data Protection Law grants data subjects the right to request deletion of personal data held by private sector organisations. The law is broadly modelled on international privacy standards. The NCSA oversees cybersecurity and aspects of online content regulation.
Qatar's cybercrime law criminalises online defamation, insults, and content deemed harmful to national values or privacy. Penalties are significant, including fines and imprisonment. Content that defames, invades privacy, or harms Qatar's national interests can result in prosecution.
Content removal requests in Qatar typically involve direct engagement with platform providers. Google's standard delisting process is available for search results. For serious online defamation or content violating Qatari law, complaints to the NCSA or referral to the public prosecution are available.
Common Qatari and regional sources requiring removal include Al Jazeera, The Peninsula Qatar, Gulf Times, Al-Watan, and pan-Arab outlets accessible throughout Qatar.
Qatar's PDP Law (2016) has extra-territorial reach, applying to personal data of Qatar residents processed anywhere in the world. International businesses processing Qatar-resident data must comply with the law's requirements, including data deletion requests.