A group of women who underwent an invasive gynecological search at Doha airport will sue the Qatari authorities and seek redress for an ordeal that sparked global conviction, their lawyer told AFP on Monday.
Women on 10 Qatar Airways flights from Doha, including 13 Australians, were investigated late last year when authorities searched for the mother of a newborn baby found abandoned in an airport toilet.
The incident sparked outrage and raised concerns about the treatment of women in Qatar as the Gulf state prepares to receive thousands of foreign visitors for the 2022 World Cup.
Damian Sturzaker of the Sydney-based law firm Marque Lawyers said seven affected passengers are now planning legal action to “send a message to the Qatari authorities that women cannot be treated this way”.
“Women suffered from enormous hardship”
“The group of women went through tremendous stress that night, now a little over a year ago, and they continue to suffer from the stress and negative effects and trauma as a result of what happened,” he told AFP.
Sturzaker said the women were seeking a formal apology, compensation and protection for future passengers who pass through the airport.
Qatar is an ultra-conservative Muslim monarchy where sex and birth outside of marriage are punishable by prison.
In the run-up to the World Cup, the country is struggling to reassure critics that its promises on women’s rights, labor relations and democracy are credible.
In the face of potentially devastating commercial and reputational damage following the incident, Qatar pledged to ensure the future “safety” of passengers.
The country’s prime minister also apologized, while an airport policeman who oversaw the searches was reportedly convicted.
However, Sturzaker said the women had not been informed of any improvements in airport procedures and that their attempts to seek mediation had been unsuccessful.
They now wanted to highlight their case ahead of the FIFA tournament to ensure other travelers are well informed before visiting Qatar, he added.
“You should be aware that although this is a highly developed, ultra-modern airport and a national airline, these events have taken place and there is nothing preventing them from happening again,” he said.
The Qatar Embassy in Canberra and Qatar Airways did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
Sturzaker said the lawsuit would be filed in Australia against the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority, Hamad International Airport, Qatar Airways and the country’s government within a few weeks.
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