The claim

A poster with the headline “Qatar welcomes you”, which shows a number of bans, is being shared on social media.

Our conclusion

It is not an official poster for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, but comes from a conservative citizens' initiative that has existed since 2014 and repeatedly publishes posters and sharepics about the behavior of tourists. Some of the rules on the poster are also incorrect.

World Cup in Qatar , which begins in November , is justifiably controversial in many respects.
Adding fuel to the fire is a seemingly official poster, which welcomes all guests in English and Arabic in the headline, but then immediately lists eight prohibitions, which are incorrect in at least two points. However, this is a poster from a conservative citizens' initiative, not an official poster

The poster “Qatar welcomes you”

This poster is shared on social media:

The "Qatar welcomes you" poster
The “Qatar welcomes you” poster

According to the poster, you should avoid the following behavior:

  • drink alcohol
  • homosexuality
  • freedom of movement
  • obscene behavior
  • Not respecting places of worship
  • Loud music and noises
  • dating
  • Taking photos without permission

Some of these points are self-explanatory and are sometimes forbidden or undesirable in this country, for example drinking alcohol in public in many inner cities, loud music, disrespecting churches and unauthorized photography, while more revealing clothing and smooching couples, whether homosexual or heterosexual, are more common here not be a problem (at least not prohibited by law).

The origin of the poster

At the top left of the poster you can see a small logo under which “Reflect Your Respect” is written in Arabic and English, which also leads us to the authors.

published on October 1st by a Twitter account whose profile picture is the same logo that can be seen on the poster.
A tweet from 2014 also states what the authors of their “Reflect your Respect” campaign are about:

“Reflect your Respect is a Qatari campaign that expects tourists to dress modestly in public. Please support us.”

Source: Twitter

The “Reflect your Respect” campaign

The campaign is not even new, but has existed since May 2014. Some Arabic sites (see HERE and HERE ) reported that the private initiative, which was founded by young people or women, depending on the source, is committed to helping tourists Do not dress too revealingly in Qatar.

MIMIKAMA
A poster from the 2014 campaign

In 2014 it was also announced that the 2022 World Cup would be held in Qatar, which is why there is a connection to the campaign and the event. As early as 2014, the campaign was criticized for making it clear to Western tourists that they should mostly cover up in temperatures of up to 45 degrees.

The World Cup's official Twitter account also denies that it is an official poster and points out that some of the information on it is incorrect.

“The “Qatar Welcomes You” graphic circulating on social media is not from an official source and contains factually incorrect information. We urge fans and visitors to rely only on official sources from tournament organizers for travel advice regarding this year’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.”

Source: Twitter

Some of the bans are incorrect

As already written above: Some of the bans listed by this private initiative should actually come as no surprise. However, they are wrong on two of the points!

In a series of tweets, HBKU University of Qatar professor Marc Owen Jones, with the help of Qatar University Nesibe Hicret Battaloglu,

No, alcohol has not been banned - in fact, drinking rules have been relaxed - nor has music, dating, loud noises or profanity.

An article in the “ Independent ” ( HERE without a paywall) lists the rules and prohibitions that actually have to be followed. Here are some excerpts from the poster:

alcohol

  • Contrary to popular misconception, it is legal to consume alcohol in Qatar if you are over 21 years old. Fans can expect to be able to purchase alcohol at “licensed bars or restaurants.”
  • Beer will be available to fans from 6:30 p.m. in the fan zones and before and after games in the eight stadiums. However, alcoholic drinks will not be available in the stadiums during the games themselves.
  • Drinking alcohol in public remains strictly prohibited, as does private consumption that causes intoxication or “disturbing” other people, punishable by up to three years in prison and heavy fines.

Clothing

  • Fans were advised to dress “modestly” by covering their shoulders and avoiding short skirts.
  • Shorts or sleeveless tops are not recommended, and entry to some official buildings may be refused if modesty rules are not followed, according to the Qatar Tourism Authority.

Behavior and intimacy

  • Strict profanity policies are enforced in Qatar. Swearing and lewd gestures fall under this section of Qatari law, with these offenses punishable by expulsion or imprisonment.
  • Any form of public intimacy, such as B. Kissing, whether heterosexual or homosexual, can lead to arrest in Qatar.
  • Fans are advised not to shake hands with Qatari women as this gesture may be perceived as disrespectful.

However, couples, whether married or not, are officially allowed to share hotel rooms - although this is probably difficult since some hotels already refuse .

Conclusion

It is not an official poster for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, but comes from a conservative citizens' initiative that has existed since 2014 and repeatedly publishes posters and sharepics about the behavior of tourists. Some of the rules on the poster are also incorrect.

Additional source:

open.online
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Extreme weather in Germany 2022 – What we know about it


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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )