Qatar

CountryQatar
Ministry responsible
Ministry of Interior
Prison administration
Penal and Correctional Institutions Department (PCID)
Contact address
P.O.Box 920, Doha, Qatar
Telephone
+974 4469 5777
Fax
+974 4460 5436
Website
https://tinyurl.com/cy8rbjf8
Email
rp@moi.gov.qa
Head of prison administration (and title)
(Brigadier-General) Mohamed Saud al-Utaibi
Director
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
1 644
at 2019 (National Human Rights Commission)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
58
based on an estimated national population of 2.83 million at mid-2019 (from United Nations figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
24.7%
(2019)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
4.6%
(2019)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
0.0%
(2000)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
17.2%
(2019)
Number of establishments / institutions
1
(2012 - central prison)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2000 570 96
2002 569 88
2004 465 60
2006 805 76
2008 551 38
2011 c 1,150 c 60
2013 c 1,150 c 60
2000 570 96
2002 569 88
2004 465 60
2006 805 76
2008 551 38
2011 c 1,150 c 60
2013 c 1,150 c 60

Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.  

The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population.

                                                      QATAR

Year

Number in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment

Percentage
of total
prison population

Pre-trial/remand
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2006
2013

330
c. 500

41.0%
c. 43.5%

31
c. 23

2019

406

24.7%

14

 It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.

Female prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day. 

The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population.

                                                     QATAR

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

Female prison
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2000
2005
2008

67
103
81

11.8%
19.7%
14.7%

11.3
11.5
5.5

2019

75

4.6%

2.7

The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.

(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column).

Prison population total
Prison population rate