Women who underwent a forced gynecological exam at Doha airport will sue Qatari authorities in Australian justice, seeking redress for an ordeal that has sparked global condemnation, their lawyer said on Monday.
Passengers on ten Qatar Airways flights from Doha, including 13 Australians, were screened at the end of 2020 to find the mother of an abandoned baby in the airport toilet.
The incident has fueled concerns over the treatment of women in Qatar, a Gulf country that is preparing to welcome thousands of visitors for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Damian Sturzaker, lawyer at Marque Lawyers in Sydney, announced that seven of the passengers concerned were preparing legal action.
It is about "sending the Qatari authorities the message that they cannot treat women in this way," he said.
Apologies, compensation and better protection for passengers
The complainants want a formal apology, compensation and protection for the passengers passing through this airport. Qatar is an ultra-conservative Muslim monarchy, where sex and procreation outside of marriage is punishable by prison terms. The country is struggling, ahead of the World Cup, to convince skeptics of the credibility of its promises in terms of women's rights, labor law and democracy.
Faced with the threats that the incident posed to the country's reputation, Qatar is committed to ensuring the “safety and security” of passengers in the future. The country's prime minister also apologized and an airport policeman who supervised the exams was reportedly convicted. But, according to Mr Sturzaker, the victims want to put their case forward before the Fifa tournament to ensure that women are well informed before traveling to Qatar.
"They must be aware that, despite the appearance of a highly developed and modernized airport and national company, these events have occurred and that nothing prevents them from happening again," he insisted. .
The Qatari Embassy in Canberra and Qatar Airways did not respond to requests.
Mr. Sturzaker said the complaint would be filed in Australia in the coming weeks against the Qatar Civil Air Authority, Hamad International Airport, Qatar Airways and the Qatari government.
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