Qatar's New Advertising Law

Anyone entering Qatar by way of the Doha International Airport has no doubt noticed the large billboards prominently advertising upcoming events, new real estate developments, fast cars, hot fashions, and any other information of potential interest to people here. Historically billboard advertisements were governed by Law No (4) of 1980. However in March 2012 a new Law No (1) of 2012 was promulgated setting out new requirements in relation to the control and placement of advertisements (Advertising Law).

Pursuant to the Advertising Law an advertisement is broadly defined as any means of communication aimed at informing the public or a specific sector of the public about certain industrial or commercial goods or products, devices, machinery, activities, or commercial, industrial, or professional acts whether through writings, drawings, images, sound, lights, or other means of expression and whether the advertisement appears on wood, metal, paper, cloth, plastic, or