Abstract

This study examines Criminal Evidence in Human Trafficking Crimes: The Limits of the Legal Text in Qatari Law and the Challenges of Application. It analyzes the adequacy of the Qatari legislative framework in addressing the specific nature of human trafficking crimes and identifies the major practical challenges encountered by law enforcement, investigation, and judicial authorities in proving their legal elements. The study demonstrates that the hidden and complex nature of human trafficking crimes, their increasing reliance on digital technologies, and their transnational character pose significant challenges to the criminal evidence system, particularly in proving the element of exploitation, collecting and preserving digital evidence, and maintaining the evidentiary value of victims' and witnesses' testimonies. The study also evaluates the effectiveness of the legislative approach adopted by the Qatari legislator, particularly Law No. (15) of 2011 on Combating Human Trafficking, in addressing emerging forms of this crime. It concludes that the Qatari legal framework provides a solid basis for combating human trafficking; however, recent developments call for more specialized procedural regulation, especially regarding digital evidence, the protection of victims and witnesses, and international cooperation in obtaining evidence. Finally, the study presents a number of findings and recommendations aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of criminal evidence while maintaining a balance between combating human trafficking crimes and safeguarding the guarantees of criminal justice and human rights.

Keywords

Criminal Evidence – Human Trafficking Crimes – Limits of the Legal Text – Digital Evidence – Exploitation – Qatari Law – International Cooperation. بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم ﴿وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَا إِن كَانَ قَمِيصُهُ قُدَّ مِن قُبُلٍ فَصَدَقَتْ وَهُوَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ * وَإِن كَانَ قَمِيصُهُ قُدَّ مِن دُبُرٍ فَكَذَبَتْ وَهُوَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ﴾ سورة يوسف:)26-27 ( ويحضرني هنا مقولـة العِماد الأَصْبَهَانِيّ: " إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَنَّهُ لَا يَكْتُبُ إِنسَانٌ كِتَابًا فِي يَوْمِهِ إِلَّا قَالَ فِي غَدِهِ: لَوْ غُيِّرَ هَذَا لَكَانَ أَحْسَنَ، وَلَوْ زِيدَ كَذَا لَكَانَ يُسْتَحْسَنُ، وَلَوْ قُدِّمَ هَذَا لَكَانَ أَفْضَلَ، وَلَوْ تُرِكَ هَذَا لَكَانَ أَجْمَلَ؛ وَهَذَا مِنْ أَعْظَمِ الْعِبَرِ، وَهُوَ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى اسْتِيلَاءِ النَّقْصِ عَلَى جُمْلَةِ الْبَشَرِ."