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LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS xli

criminal offence and no criminal penalty may be imposed except
under a law previously enacted”, and that an accused shall be
“considered innocent until he is proven guilty, and has the right to
be tried justly before a court of law”. (Articles 9, 10, 11).

1. Nationality i
2. Territorial Division
The State is divided into four main towns forming the principal
districts in Qatar, namely, Doha, which is the political and
commercial capital, Dukhan, Khor, and Umm Said which is the
centre of Qatar Petroleum Company’s headquarters. Municipal
affairs in these towns do not appear to be governed by any
constitutional municipal councils.

3. The State Organs
The Government is composed of the Amir, the Council of Ministers
and the newly constituted Consultative Council. The functions of
these organs will be explained in turn:
(a) The Amir and the Council of Ministers: The Amir is the
supreme head of the Government and through him state
policies on both the internal and external planes are executed.
At present, the Amir is also the Prime Minister of his country.
Next in authority comes the Council of Ministers, comprising,
at present, 14 ministers. The powers and functions of the
Council of Ministers are governed by Part IV, Chapter 3 of the
Amended Provisional Constitution and by Law No. 5 of 1970.2
The Council assists the Amir in the performance of his
functions and powers (Prov. Const. Art. 28). The Amir
appoints ministers and dismisses them from their posts by
means of an Amiri Order (Art. 29). The Council is collectively
responsible before the Amir. Moreover, each minister is also
personally responsible before the Amir (the Prime Minister)
for the performance of his functions (Art. 35). The powers and
functions of the Cabinet are specified in Article 34.
(b) The Legislature: In accordance with the provisions of the
Amended Provisional Constitution of 1972, members for the
first Consultative Council (a semi-legislative body) in the
history of the state were appointed by an Amiri Order, issued
1. Qatari nationality is governed by the Qatari Nationality Law No. 2 of 1961, and
amendments thereto, as explained in this book at p. 125, below. No changes
have taken place in this matter.
2. Law No. 5 for 1970, defining the powers of Ministers and the general functions of
the state Ministries, al-Jaridah at-Rasmiyah, No. 4, 2 April 1970.