Twitter responds after Qatar accused of using jinns to win Gulf dispute

Shabina Khatri
Jul 10, 2017 · 2 min read
Photo for illustrative purposes only. Credit: Pixabay

The Gulf dispute is no laughing matter. But many Qatar residents couldn’t help but chuckle yesterday after accusations that they support witchcraft went viral.

Over the weekend, an Al Arabiya correspondent accused Qataris of hiring sorcerers to conjure genies (jinns) as a way to end the crisis.

Hashtag laughter

In response, Qataris created a new hashtag poking fun at the allegations.

The hashtag #قطر_تتعامل_بالجن (Qatar employs jinns) attracted hundreds of tweets and quickly began to trend inside the country yesterday.

Witchcraft is a crime

All jokes aside, practicing sorcery in the Gulf is a serious offense.

In Qatar, it is punishable by a prison sentence of three to 15 years and/or a maximum fine of QR200,000.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Credit: Chris Potako/Flickr

Lawyers previously said the law protects residents from fraud, because people try to capitalize on the various beliefs and superstitions held by the country’s large and diverse expat population.

According to the penal code, witchcraft and “quackery” includes:

“Performing actions or saying words or using methods aimed at deceiving a victim and giving him/her delusions of the ability to perform sorcery and witchcraft, know the unseen, disclose what lies in one’s conscious, fulfill a need, desire or benefit, prevent danger or cause harm.”

Thoughts?

Doha News

Covering breaking news, politics, business, culture and life in and around Qatar since 2009.

Shabina Khatri

Written by

Journalist, editor, story-teller.

Doha News

Doha News

Covering breaking news, politics, business, culture and life in and around Qatar since 2009.

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