Seeking reparation from the Qatari authorities, a group of Australian women have decided to sue the airport administration who were subjected to invasive gynaecological searches at Doha airport. The checks had caused severe ordeal to the women and had sparked condemnation globally, their lawyer said. Women, including 13 Australians, on 10 Qatar Airways flights from Doha had to go through examinations late last year. The step was taken to search for the mother of a newborn who was found abandoned in an airport bathroom.
The incident had caused huge backlash and concerns over Qatar’s treatment of women travellers sparked fire across the world. This comes when the Gulf state is preparing for the 2022 football World Cup and expects thousands of foreign visitors during the tournament.
Sydney-based firm Marque Lawyer, Damian Sturzaker said that seven passengers who had to go through the torment are planning to take legal action now and send a message to the Qatari government that they cannot treat women in the ‘manner.’ Speaking to AFP, the lawyer said, "The group of women have suffered enormous distress on the evening concerned, now just over a year ago, and they continue to suffer distress and ill effects and trauma as a result of what occurred.”
Women are now asking for a formal apology, along with compensation and protection for passengers in future who would transit through the airport, said Sturzaker.
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Qatar is one of the conservative Muslim monarchies where sex and childbirth outside marriage are punishable under Islamic law and also has a jail term.
The Gulf country is reassuring the critics that its promises on women's rights, labour relations and democracy are credible, as it’s getting ready to host the world cup.
Facing damaging commercial and reputational damage after the incident, Qatar has pledged to ensure the "safety and security" of passengers in future.
Meanwhile, the country’s prime minister has also released an apology. A report says that an airport police officer who was supervising the searches was convicted.
Sturzaker, however, had not been told about any improvements at the airport procedures and attempts to reconcile from the authorities has remained unsuccessful.
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The victims now want to highlight their case ahead of the FIFA tournament to ensure that the other travellers are thoroughly informed about everything before visiting Qatar, added the lawyer. "They should be aware that -- whilst there is a guise of a highly developed, highly modernised airport and national carrier -- these events have happened and nothing is preventing them from happening again," he said.
Sturzaker said that within weeks, a lawsuit will be filed in Australia against the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority, Hamad International Airport, Qatar Airways and Qatar's government.