Prostitution laws in Qatarقطر

Selling and buying prohibitedOverview · last reviewed 30 October 2026

Qatar criminalises prostitution under its Penal Code (Law No. 11 of 2004). Making a profession or a means of living out of prostitution or sodomy carries up to ten years' imprisonment, as does exploiting another person's prostitution (Art. 298). Sex outside marriage with a woman aged 16 or over carries up to seven years for the man and the woman (Art. 281), which covers clients. Running a brothel, or knowingly letting premises for one, carries one to three years (Art. 295); leading, inciting or luring a woman into prostitution one to five years (Art. 296), and up to fifteen with coercion or a victim under 16 (Art. 297). Inciting debauchery or prostitution in a public place by word, gesture or any other means carries six months to three years (Art. 294). For Muslims, Art. 1 also makes the Sharia hudud rules on zina applicable.

Legal model

Selling and buying prohibited. Selling sex is an offence (criminal or administrative), whether or not buying is.

Practising prostitution as a profession or a means of living is a crime (Art. 298, Penal Code). Consensual sex outside marriage with a woman aged 16 or over is also a crime for both parties (Art. 281), so buying sex is an offence through that general provision. Under Art. 1, Sharia hudud rules apply to zina where the accused or the victim is Muslim. Brothels, procuring and public incitement are crimes.^[1]

At a glance

Question	Status	In short
Selling sexual services	Illegal Criminal offence	Anyone who makes prostitution or sodomy a profession or a means of living is punishable by up to ten years' imprisonment (Art. 298). A woman aged 16 or over who consents to sex outside marriage is punishable by up to seven years (Art. 281), and for Muslims the Sharia hudud rules on zina apply (Art. 1).^[1]
Buying sexual services	Illegal Criminal offence	There is no offence aimed at clients as such, but a man who has consensual sex with a woman aged 16 or over outside marriage is punishable by up to seven years' imprisonment, the same as the woman (Art. 281). For Muslims, the Sharia hudud rules on zina apply (Art. 1).^[1]
Brothels and managed venues	Illegal Criminal offence	Preparing or running a house for prostitution, or helping in any way to prepare or run one, carries one to three years' imprisonment; so does letting a house or premises one owns or manages knowing it will be used for prostitution (Art. 295). In every case the premises are closed and may reopen only for a lawful purpose with the Public Prosecution's approval (Art. 299).^[1]
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)	Illegal Criminal offence	Leading a woman into prostitution, or inciting, luring or tempting her by any means to practise it or to frequent a brothel, in Qatar or abroad, carries one to five years (Art. 296). Coercion, threats, trickery or a victim under 16 raise this to up to fifteen years (Art. 297). Exploiting another person's prostitution by any means carries up to ten years (Art. 298).^[1]
Advertising sexual services	Illegal Criminal offence	Being found in a public place inciting debauchery or prostitution by word, gesture or any other means carries six months to three years (Art. 294), and inciting a person by any means to prostitution is covered by Art. 296. Advertising, displaying or distributing indecent writings, pictures or other material carries up to one year and/or a fine of up to QAR 5,000 (Art. 292).^[1]

The law in detail

Selling sexual services

IllegalArt. 298 Penal Code · Art. 281 Penal Code · Art. 1 Penal Code

Anyone who makes prostitution or sodomy a profession or a means of living is punishable by up to ten years' imprisonment (Art. 298). A woman aged 16 or over who consents to sex outside marriage is punishable by up to seven years (Art. 281), and for Muslims the Sharia hudud rules on zina apply (Art. 1).^[1]

Article 298 reads, in our translation: "Whoever makes the practice of prostitution or sodomy a profession or a means of living shall be punished by imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years." Public incitement to prostitution (Art. 294) is a separate offence.

Note. The official text is in Arabic; the translations are ours. Sentencing practice under the hudud rules was not examined.

Checked 30 October 2026

Buying sexual services

IllegalArt. 281 Penal Code · Art. 1 Penal Code

There is no offence aimed at clients as such, but a man who has consensual sex with a woman aged 16 or over outside marriage is punishable by up to seven years' imprisonment, the same as the woman (Art. 281). For Muslims, the Sharia hudud rules on zina apply (Art. 1).^[1]

Checked 30 October 2026

Brothels and managed venues

IllegalArt. 295 Penal Code · Art. 299 Penal Code

Preparing or running a house for prostitution, or helping in any way to prepare or run one, carries one to three years' imprisonment; so does letting a house or premises one owns or manages knowing it will be used for prostitution (Art. 295). In every case the premises are closed and may reopen only for a lawful purpose with the Public Prosecution's approval (Art. 299).^[1]

Checked 30 October 2026

Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)

IllegalArt. 296 Penal Code · Art. 297 Penal Code · Art. 298 Penal Code

Leading a woman into prostitution, or inciting, luring or tempting her by any means to practise it or to frequent a brothel, in Qatar or abroad, carries one to five years (Art. 296). Coercion, threats, trickery or a victim under 16 raise this to up to fifteen years (Art. 297). Exploiting another person's prostitution by any means carries up to ten years (Art. 298).^[1]

Article 296 also covers bringing, offering, handing over or accepting a person for sexual exploitation, and inciting a man to sodomy or debauchery.

Checked 30 October 2026

Advertising sexual services

IllegalArt. 294 Penal Code · Art. 296 Penal Code · Art. 292 Penal Code

Being found in a public place inciting debauchery or prostitution by word, gesture or any other means carries six months to three years (Art. 294), and inciting a person by any means to prostitution is covered by Art. 296. Advertising, displaying or distributing indecent writings, pictures or other material carries up to one year and/or a fine of up to QAR 5,000 (Art. 292).^[1]

Confidence: medium. No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found in the Penal Code. Qatar's Cybercrime Law (Law No. 14 of 2014) was not checked.

Checked 30 October 2026

Key legislation

Law	What it does here	In force
قانون رقم (11) لسنة 2004 بإصدار قانون العقوبات Law No. 11 of 2004 Issuing the Penal Code Art. 1 · Art. 281 · Arts. 294-299	Chapter Six (Arts. 294 to 299) covers incitement to debauchery and prostitution; Art. 281 covers consensual sex outside marriage; Art. 1 applies the Sharia hudud rules on zina where the accused or the victim is Muslim.^[1]

Timeline

14 June 2004The Penal Code (Law No. 11 of 2004) is published, including the chapter on incitement to debauchery and prostitution (Arts. 294 to 299).^[1]

Sources

قانون رقم (11) لسنة 2004 بإصدار قانون العقوبات (Law No. 11 of 2004 Issuing the Penal Code). Al Meezan, Qatar Legal Portal (Ministry of Justice). legislation · accessed 30 October 2026