Law No.11 of 2004 promulgating the Penal Code.

The Penal Code of Qatar, comprising 398 articles, establishes the legal framework governing criminal liability, jurisdiction, offenses, and penalties. Islamic Shari'a applies to Muslims in specific offenses, such as theft, adultery, defamation, alcohol consumption, and apostasy. In all other cases, criminal responsibility is determined by the Penal Code and other national laws. The Code follows the principle of non-retroactivity, except where a later law is more favorable to the accused, and applies to crimes committed within Qatar, including on Qatari-registered ships and aircraft. Offenses are classified as felonies, misdemeanors, or contraventions according to their severity. Criminal liability requires both a criminal act or omission and the necessary mental element, whether intentional or negligent. The Code also regulates attempts, participation by accomplices, and exemptions from liability such as infancy or insanity. Penalties include death, life or temporary imprisonment, fines, and social work, supplemented by secondary sanctions such as deprivation of rights, professional disqualification, confiscation of assets, police supervision, and deportation of foreign nationals. Overall, the Code seeks to maintain public order, protect state security, ensure integrity in public administration, and uphold confidence in the justice system.
The Penal Code includes several provisions addressing environmental harm and threats to public health under broader categories such as public danger, sabotage, and health-related offenses. Within this framework, certain articles distinguish levels of liability based on the seriousness of the harm and the degree of risk involved. Article 250 criminalizes the deliberate contamination of water sources with harmful substances or germs that endanger human life or public health, with the most severe consequences reserved for cases resulting in death. In contrast, Article 254 addresses the intentional pollution, spoilage, or rendering unusable of water sources even where no direct threat to human life is proven, reflecting a lower threshold of danger. Article 391 extends protection to vegetation and agricultural property by punishing the destruction or damaging of trees and crops, including through cutting, uprooting, or the use of toxic substances, thereby safeguarding both natural resources and private property. Chapter 4 (Articles 250–255) specifically focuses on crimes against public health, criminalizing conduct that endangers human life, public health, and the environment through the contamination of water resources or the spread of disease. It covers both intentional and negligent acts that introduce harmful substances, pathogens, or other dangerous materials into wells, public water supplies, or other water sources, as well as conduct that facilitates the spread of infectious diseases or epidemics when it results in serious harm to individuals or the community. The chapter further protects the integrity and usability of water resources by addressing their intentional or negligent pollution, deterioration, or misuse. Its scope also extends to environmental protection of Qatar’s internal waters, territorial waters, and exclusive economic zone by prohibiting the discharge or leakage of pollutants such as chemicals, petroleum products, ship oil, industrial waste, laboratory waste, and sewage. Overall, these provisions aim to safeguard public health, preserve essential water resources, prevent the spread of disease, and protect the marine and broader environment from contamination and degradation.
Under the Code, crimes involving animals, aquatic resources, and related organized criminal activity are addressed in Chapter 8 (Articles 393 - 395) through provisions that protect animal welfare, preserve marine ecosystems, and combat group criminality. The Law prohibits the intentional and unjustified killing or harm of animals belonging to others, including livestock, working animals, bees, and domesticated or tamed species, as well as the large-scale destruction of aquatic life using harmful methods such as poisons, explosives, chemicals, or electricity. It also criminalizes cruelty and neglect, including beating, torture, overworking, or failing to properly care for sick, aged, or disabled animals. Courts may order protective measures for abused animals, including transfer to welfare institutions or euthanasia in cases of incurable suffering. In addition, the Law targets organized criminal groups formed for material gain, covering participation, assistance, or leadership, while providing incentives for offenders who report such groups early or substantially assist authorities in investigations and arrests.