Today the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) organized a seminar to raise awareness about the Central Municipal Council elections, scheduled for June 22, with the participation of a group of officials, candidates and former members.
At the outset of the symposium, HE Vice-Chairman of the National Human Rights Committee Dr. Mohammed bin Saif Al Kuwari said in a paper he presented on constitutional and international standards for the right to run for office, that the right to run for office is a right guaranteed under the provisions of the permanent constitution of the State of Qatar in 2004, as enshrined in international and regional human rights charters to which Qatar has become a party. It is the right that expresses the general will of the Qatari people, which enables them to assume tasks and responsibilities related to the management of public affairs in accordance with the principle of universal suffrage.
Al Kuwari explained that the law guarantees that the elections take place over time periods to ensure that the municipal council expresses the will and demands of the voters in a sustainable manner, to ensure the widest participation possible.
He pointed to some of the procedural elements related to preventing voting more than once and preventing deputizing in voting, pointing out also that the law stipulated that elections be held by secret ballot in order to protect voters from various forms of coercion or temptation that push them to reveal their voting intentions, and protect them from any unlawful or arbitrary interference with the voting process. The conclusion of his paper also discussed the role of the council’s members once they win.
For his part, HE Secretary-General of the National Human Rights Committee Sultan bin Hassan Al Jamali, affirmed that the symposium comes within the activities of the National Human Rights Committee’s campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the importance of the right to vote and run for office, and the implementation of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. He added that it also comes as a continuation of the previous symposium, which was organized by the Committee. He noted that the committee held another seminar on May 15 on mechanisms and criteria for election and candidacy in accordance with national and international standards, in addition to raising awareness of the importance of the electoral process as a democratic and constitutional entitlement and the importance of participating in it with the required integrity.
Assistant Director of the Human Rights Department Lt. Col. Saad Salem Al Dosari said that the department presented a paper on the rights and duties of candidates, with the goal of raising awareness on the importance of elections and encouraging citizens to vote.
Al Dosari indicated the role of the candidates’ awareness in promoting the culture of electoral participation among citizens and encouraging them to carry out this responsibility towards the Qatari society. He noted that the tasks of the Central Municipal Council are, according to the law, the progress of the country in the field of municipal affairs, through a number of specializations and powers, the most important of which are: monitoring the implementation of laws, decisions and regulations related to the powers and competences of the Ministry of Municipality, and making recommendations regarding the issuance of laws or taking any actions or measures that the council deems necessary or beneficial for the public interest.
The Assistant Director of the Human Rights Department at the Ministry of Interior pointed out that the rights enjoyed by the candidates are matched by duties that he must abide by, as the candidate must abide by respecting the provisions of the constitution, respecting the freedom of others in expressing their opinion, preserving national unity and maintaining community security, refrain from using anything that might influence the will of the voters, and not resort to promises that are impossible to implement with the aim of obtaining votes. In the conclusion, Al Dossari noted that participation in the elections of the Central Municipal Council represents a responsible and conscious practice that reflects the essence of democracy, which means enabling citizens to participate in decision-making and drawing up public policies related to the present and future of the national group, stressing that participation in the electoral process is a national right and duty, and that Qatari people must take the initiative to cast their votes and participate in the elections of the Central Municipal Council in its seventh session on the June 22.
At the end of the seminar Captain Saleh Jassim Al Muhammadi, a member of the Legal Committee for the Central Municipal Council elections, explained the legal controls and conditions regarding the electoral campaigns of the candidates and their compatibility with international standards and relevant best practices.
Source: Qatar News Agency