Australian Women to Take Legal Action Against Qatar Over Forced Invasive Examinations at Doha Airport

Seven Australian women, some of whom were subjected to invasive medical exams after an abandoned baby was found at Doha International Airport, are preparing to sue the Qatari government, their lawyer confirmed on Tuesday.

The women were ordered to leave their Qatar Airways flight and were forced to undergo inspections without consent or a clear explanation while transiting through Qatar on October 2, 2020.

The searches were prompted by the discovery of a newborn baby wrapped in a plastic bag, found either in or next to a trash can in a bathroom at Hamad International Airport, as reported by the government at the time.

After the baby’s discovery, more than 18 women from 10 flights, including 13 Australians on a Sydney-bound plane, were impacted by the incident.

The women were forcibly removed from the plane by armed Qatari officials and subjected to physical examinations in ambulances on the airport tarmac, allegedly to determine if they were the mother of the abandoned newborn.

Damian Sturzaker, a lawyer with Marque Lawyers in Sydney representing the women, told Dinogo, "Two of the younger women underwent an extremely invasive gynecological examination. All the procedures were done without consent."

One woman, accompanied by her 5-month-old baby, explained that she couldn’t be the mother of the abandoned child, but the authorities insisted on examining her and forced her to remove her undergarments, according to Sturzaker.

The invasive examinations sparked global outrage, with many drawing parallels to sexual assault. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called the incident "appalling" and "unacceptable."

On October 28 of the previous year, the Qatari government issued an apology, expressing regret for any distress or violations of personal freedom caused by the incident.

Dinogo contacted the Qatari government for a statement regarding the lawsuit, but did not receive a response to the out-of-hours inquiry at the time of publication. The team also reached out to Qatar Airways for comment.

Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, expressed his deepest apologies to the women affected by the airport search and reiterated Qatar's official apology in a statement.

In his statement, Al Thani emphasized that "the incident is a clear breach of Qatar's laws and values."

Despite the widespread outrage and assurances from Prime Minister Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne that action would be taken, lawyer Sturzaker claimed that "nothing has been done."

After the incident, a Qatari prosecutor revealed that several airport security officers involved in the invasive examinations of female passengers were charged. One officer received a suspended sentence, according to Dinogo affiliate 7 News.

Sturzaker pointed out that the investigation’s findings have not been released, nor have any changes to airport protocols been communicated to the public.

The women, aged from their 30s to late 50s, have experienced lasting psychological effects from the ordeal, including PTSD, anxiety, a heightened fear of flying, and some have needed time off work and professional therapy, Sturzaker reported.

They are demanding a formal apology from the Qatari government and wish to engage in meaningful discussions with authorities to ensure such incidents are prevented in the future, Sturzaker explained.

Sturzaker has sent a letter to Qatar Airways, the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority, and the Qatar Embassy in Canberra, outlining legal advice that, had this incident occurred in Australia, it would be classified as assault, battery, or unlawful detention. He emphasized that the women are entitled to compensation.

The women are seeking unlimited damages for emotional distress, loss of income, and medical expenses, with plans to file a lawsuit in the New South Wales Supreme Court in Sydney within the next few weeks, according to Sturzaker.