The Public Prosecution and Naufar Centre have signed a protocol for cooperation in the field of addiction treatment. The protocol for cooperation was signed by the Attorney General of the State of Qatar H E Dr. Ali bin Fettais Al Marri, and Director-General of Naufar Center Dr. Mohammed bin Ghanem Al Maadheed. The protocol will allow the two sides to provide treatment for addicts who choose to do so until they fully recover. In his speech, the Attorney General praised Naufar Center for the work it does in its field. He added that the centre had become a source of pride even though it was established recently. He stressed that treating addiction and rehabilitation are tasks that no one entity can achieve on its own, but it can be accomplished when everyone works together. Dr. Al Marri noted that addicts and users of drugs of all ages have unfortunately come to deal with those manners in a criminal way, something that should spur research into the scientific reasons behind that behaviour to help avoid it in the future and to help addicts with their rehabilitation. Dr. Al Marri highlighted the importance of cooperation among all those involved in the home, state institutions, or other related parties to help addicts rather than treat them as criminals. He stressed that it was important to help addicts with rehabilitation, highlighting that the law clearly dealt with those issues. He also praised Naufar Center’s role in treating addiction cases and cooperating with the Public Prosecution through the agreement. He also commended the role played by the Ministry of Interior (MoI), which has cumulative experience in those matters. For his part, Naufar Center DG discussed the centre’s role and provided definitions for addiction. He said that the centre focuses on using scientific methods to treat addiction and rehabilitate addicts back into society. Dr. Al Maadheed stressed the role of religion and treatment, praising the cooperation between the center and other related parties, crowned with the agreement. Meanwhile, talking to Qatar News Agency, the Attorney General said that the idea behind signing the protocol was that an addict must not be treated as a criminal. Instead, addicts should be assisted. He noted that this does not mean that addicts would not be penalised for the crime they committed, but rather that it would be accompanied by treatment. He noted a criminal was responsible for the addict down that road, so they should be treated before being penalised. On the rule of the Public Prosecution, in that case, he said that instead of imprisoning the person, they are given the same sentence but have to spend it in a specialised facility such as Naufar Center. He said that they would be under the watch of the Ministry of Interior and would only be referred based on the Public Prosecution decision. For his part, Director General of Public Security Staff Major General Saad bin Jassim Al Khulaifi praised the signing of the protocol for cooperation between the Public Prosecution and Naufar Center, saying it was a good initiative that deserves praise. He said article no. 39 of the law on drugs allowed the Public Prosecution to place those trialed in treatment facilities.
