This has to be one of the most bizarre and disturbing travel stories of 2020, and I don’t even know how to begin to make sense of this.
In this post:
Abandoned newborn found at Doha Airport
On October 2, 2020, an abandoned premature newborn was found in a bathroom at Doha Hamad International Airport. It would appear that the mother abandoned the baby shortly after giving birth. On the plus side, airport authorities have confirmed that the baby is alive:
“At this time, the newborn infant remains unidentified, but is safe under the professional care of medical and social workers.”
This is obviously just heartbreaking. I can’t even begin to imagine the circumstances that would lead to someone doing something like this, and I’m sure I’m not alone in having so many questions.
An abandoned newborn was found at Hamad Airport
Qatar Airways passengers strip searched
Upon the discovery of the newborn, the airport claims that medical professionals expressed concern to airport officials about the health and welfare of the mother who had just given birth, and requested that she be located prior to departing.
Somehow Qatar Airways flight 908 from Doha to Sydney was targeted for this. The flight ended up being delayed by five hours, as the 13 female passengers (of a total of 34 passengers) ended up being strip searched and having medical exams done to determine if they might be the mother.
It’s not entirely clear why passengers on this flight in particular were targeted — did authorities have some reason to believe that one of these passengers abandoned a newborn, or…?
A passenger onboard the flight stated the following regarding how this situation was handled, as reported by The Guardian:
“They were taken by security personnel into the cellar, not knowing what was going on. And then they were presented to a female doctor and they were basically strip-searched and had to take everything downwards off, all their clothes, even their underwear.
And then the doctor would try to feel in the uterus and stomach area or lower abdomen to see whether they may have given birth recently. Someone had been told that a baby had been found in the toilet and they were trying to find out who the mother was.”
At least 13 Qatar Airways passengers were strip searched
Australia demanding answers from Qatar
This situation is now causing quite a diplomatic spat between Australia and Qatar. A spokesperson for Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister has said that the country is deeply concerned about the unacceptable treatment of some passengers:
“The advice that has been provided indicates that the treatment of the women concerned was offensive, grossly inappropriate, and beyond circumstances in which the women could give free and informed consent.
The government has formally registered our serious concerns about this incident with Qatari authorities. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is engaged on this matter through diplomatic channels.”
The issue has been presented to the Qatari ambassador in Canberra, and the country expects an explanation soon…
The challenge with the Middle East
This situation highlights the general challenge with global hubs in the Middle East, like Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Dubai:
- These places are global cities that people travel through all the time, and they even do everything they can to attract visitors
- Qatar and the UAE have certainly become more liberal, and even “sell” the dream of partying, alcohol, glitz, etc.
- These places largely have laws that many of us wouldn’t be comfortable with, except they’re not usually enforced
- When they are enforced, it becomes a serious issue
As you can see, in this situation that lead to nonconsensual (from the sounds of it) strip searches, while in other cases we’ve seen people jailed for “writing bad words on social media.”
It’s a risk everyone should be aware of in general when traveling to countries that have different laws, and it’s always something that’s in the back of my mind
While Gulf countries are perfectly pleasant to visit a vast majority of the time, you then sometimes hear horror stories like this…
Sometimes the Middle East isn’t as glamorous as it seems
Bottom line
A Qatar Airways flight was delayed by five hours after 13 women were strip searched due to an abandoned newborn being found in a bathroom at Doha Hamad International Airport. Australia is now rightfully demanding answers about what happened.
What a truly tragic and strange story. I guess the good news is that the newborn seems to be alive and well, though unfortunately without his/her mother. I can’t even imagine what caused this to happen.
Hopefully we get some answers soon, both regarding the baby’s situation, and what caused these 13 women to be strip searched.
What do you make of this situation?
Now at least one female victim each from the UK, France, and New Zealand have been publicly identified. And those governments are complanining. So its not surprising that the Qatari government is backtracking like mad, stating that the Qatar airport officials who authorized the female exams will now be "referred to prosecutors."
@US Janet Kudos for your comment!
@Norman There is something even faster. Early Pregnancy Test, which is a urine test strip and results are immediate. If the baby is newborn, then the HCG will still be elevated. No need for somebody to rape anybody. If there was an ambulance, there were test strips. Otherwise, you get them at the nearest place that sells aspirin, maybe even in the airport! If this "physician", for whom we haven't seen credentials, was worth a...
@Norman There is something even faster. Early Pregnancy Test, which is a urine test strip and results are immediate. If the baby is newborn, then the HCG will still be elevated. No need for somebody to rape anybody. If there was an ambulance, there were test strips. Otherwise, you get them at the nearest place that sells aspirin, maybe even in the airport! If this "physician", for whom we haven't seen credentials, was worth a darn, then she should know that there are many less invasive ways to tell if a woman has been pregnant. Let alone that the level of exhaustion and mental state of the woman would be obvious. And then there are the before and after pictures on surveillance cameras.
Furthermore I am at a loss to understand why this sexual assault was so URGENT. The baby had no better or worse care than if the mother had been found. Planes get grounded for all kinds of reasons, but not when you can just probe women and throw them back on the flight???
I agree that whiteness is why this made the headlines, but let's not get off track. Are we not all trying to move toward the same thing, however it comes to be? Let's finally quit with the race cards. There are no pure races. Think about it.
@Norman Ditto all that.
@TLS You poor thing. You obviously haven't gotten around much. I was met with machine guns in 1980 in Austria's airport.
I can't imagine how this child's life is going to turn out. Who knows what the reasons are for this mother to decide to do this, but I believe the baby is in better hands. There are many youth, like my own, who have decided not to have children and look to take care of those that the world has thrown away.
@ Expat
I suppose it's tantamount to the pro-lifers in favor of the death penalty or don't give a damn about poor mothers getting food or medical assistance to take care of the kids that they were so adamant that she birth regardless of her ability to provide for them.
Hope that helps.
Nothing has changed in the Islamic world since Muhammad's death in 632 CE or year 1 in the Islamic calendar Their treatment of women is even worse now. Obscene act. Disgusting!!
@InShanghai
I said there was something incomplete about this story and I think you may have highlighted it.
Were the western women searched to sidetrack the media from exactly what you are saying, that it was, arguably, a local.
From the Guardian: It is illegal to have sex outside marriage in Qatar. In neighbouring United Arab Emirates, unmarried migrant mothers are required to serve a jail sentence before they can leave the country. Healthcare workers are required to report any unmarried mothers for breaking the law, so many choose to give birth without assistance, not in hospital.
So why should Australian or European women drop a baby in the toilet. It does not...
From the Guardian: It is illegal to have sex outside marriage in Qatar. In neighbouring United Arab Emirates, unmarried migrant mothers are required to serve a jail sentence before they can leave the country. Healthcare workers are required to report any unmarried mothers for breaking the law, so many choose to give birth without assistance, not in hospital.
So why should Australian or European women drop a baby in the toilet. It does not make sense at all. Just avoid these medieval countries.
Official Statement form the Qatar Government Comm Office:
“On 2nd October 2020, a newborn infant was found in a trash can, concealed in a plastic bag and buried under garbage, at Hamad International Airport (HIA). The baby girl was rescued from what appeared to be a shocking and appalling attempt to kill her. The infant is now safe under medical care in Doha.“
https://www.gco.gov.qa/en/2020/10/28/government-communications-office-statement-on-an-abandoned-infant-discovered-at-hamad-international-airport/
Official Statement form the Qatar Government Comm Office:
“On 2nd October 2020, a newborn infant was found in a trash can, concealed in a plastic bag and buried under garbage, at Hamad International Airport (HIA). The baby girl was rescued from what appeared to be a shocking and appalling attempt to kill her. The infant is now safe under medical care in Doha.“
https://www.gco.gov.qa/en/2020/10/28/government-communications-office-statement-on-an-abandoned-infant-discovered-at-hamad-international-airport/
Australia and USA should sanction the hell out of Qatar over this human rights violation !
@Lucky
As more details and facts become know in the press,
“Qatar expresses ‘regret’ after women from 10 flights taken for medical examinations at Doha airport”
https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/28/women-10-flights-medical-examinations-doha-qatar-airways-australian-foreign-minister-says
All the women from TEN FLIGHTS!!?
Unnecessary Medical exam or Sexually assualted?
Lucky can you in any way, follow up and help
Educate your readers about what happened and perhaps Consider what rights
Women, LQBTQ or every other passenger is giving...
@Lucky
As more details and facts become know in the press,
“Qatar expresses ‘regret’ after women from 10 flights taken for medical examinations at Doha airport”
https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/28/women-10-flights-medical-examinations-doha-qatar-airways-australian-foreign-minister-says
All the women from TEN FLIGHTS!!?
Unnecessary Medical exam or Sexually assualted?
Lucky can you in any way, follow up and help
Educate your readers about what happened and perhaps Consider what rights
Women, LQBTQ or every other passenger is giving up by flying
Qatar Airways and Doha airport?
Or is Qatar Airways one of your sponsers?
Wow Expat. Let's make a couple of huge, unsupported assumptions (i.e., about how far the pregnancy had advanced and the politics of the commenters) so that we can take the discussion into something totally off the topic at hand. Nice troll work!
Definitely the wrong way to go about it. The airline/country deserves whatever backlash it has coming.
That being said, I'm somewhat surprised to see a lot of commenters here expressing concern for the well-being of the premature baby, considering the concurrent undertone that many are also probably pro-choice (up to the third trimester?). Seems like a huge contradiction. I've always been curious how people justify the difference to themselves.
The "laws are different in Qatar" argument is only relevant to a point. As a matter of human rights, this should be considered assault by definition, given a reasonable belief by victims that they were about to assume imminent harmful and offensive contact.
Unfortunately, in Qatar, women rank somewhere between physical property and domestic pets and are only afforded the rights commensurate with such a classification. This incident serves as a gentle reminder to this effect. On the plus side, as a result, Qatar has increased its exposure to the biological weapon that is SARS-CoV-2.
You’ve got to wonder... couldn’t they just have rewind the cameras near the bathroom??? Not to be sexist, but I’m pretty sure it’s not difficult to see that woman who is pregnant looks quite different to who isn’t.
This is not “strip searched” this is sexual assault violation full stop. The trauma of which will be ongoing. This isn’t something you forget or can just go see a therapist to clear away easily. It lingers and permeates all facets of your life.
Disappointed to see the headline which downplays the horror of this.
My wife and I have flown Qatar Airways. We have stayed overnight in Doha. We enjoyed those experiences. And we were even considering going to Qatar for the World Cup.
This story was like a bucket of water in the face, a dose of reality. We will never fly Qatar again. And we will most definitely not be attending the WC in Qatar again.
To be clear, Qatar Airways is owned by the Qatar government....
My wife and I have flown Qatar Airways. We have stayed overnight in Doha. We enjoyed those experiences. And we were even considering going to Qatar for the World Cup.
This story was like a bucket of water in the face, a dose of reality. We will never fly Qatar again. And we will most definitely not be attending the WC in Qatar again.
To be clear, Qatar Airways is owned by the Qatar government. They are one and the same.
And this article should have been written by a female member of the TPG staff. Its a bit tone deaf. Read the NYT article for a better perspective.
What if the woman/man that gave the Birth was on a Flight to Australia and starts having medical issues, where do you land the plane?
@Sharon, weren't you against ALL Arabs till just a few months ago? ever since Israel has relationship with UAE you are singing their tune.I am pretty sure you will be praising the Sudanese soon. It is all about whoever keeps Israel happy!
There's something in here that just doesn't gel. Many have said as much.
Why this flight? meaning: was it really accurate anyway
BUT surely like all international airports Hamad must be knee deep in CCTV. Not difficult to rewind women entering and leaving the restroom.
I also go with the DNA swab of everyone in sight. Not intrusive, and guaranteed results.
So for those two reasons at least, this action had a hidden agenda.
@James, because in US one is presumed innocent and one does not have to prove innocence. The child's life is of supreme importance but US cannot pursue such an investigation in violation of constitutional rights.
This must have been 13 well preserved or really young women. I suppose it's possible every female is of childbearing age, but being a Black female of a certain age, I certainly hope they wouldn't strip search me for giving birth to a white or Arab baby or any other baby that didn't look like it could at least be mixed with Black. Surely they know the basics of biology.
Correction: @fk not fl.
According to the Qatari national law ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qatari_nationality_law ), "Children born in Qatar to unknown parents are Qatari citizens by birth."
Perhaps a desperate foreign airport worker decided to abandon the baby in the washroom so that hopefully it can be found and given Qatari citizenship and lead a better life going forward?
It looks like the Qatari government wants to do all that is possible to prevent the baby from being granted Qatari citizenship...
According to the Qatari national law ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qatari_nationality_law ), "Children born in Qatar to unknown parents are Qatari citizens by birth."
Perhaps a desperate foreign airport worker decided to abandon the baby in the washroom so that hopefully it can be found and given Qatari citizenship and lead a better life going forward?
It looks like the Qatari government wants to do all that is possible to prevent the baby from being granted Qatari citizenship so they try to go through all means they can to try to identify the mother. On the surface, they would say that they are concerned about the health of the mother, yet their main motive is to find a way to deny the baby Qatari citizenship.
@Kalboz and @fl. Your comments are utterly disgusting. You are living in the Dark Ages. You have no respect for women. For all one knows, it is someone like you responsible for such pregnancy. Then it is someone like you who is the one who abandons. Then you blame it on the victim.
If you were decent, you would never make the following statement: “A human life come before this feminist movement we constantly...
@Kalboz and @fl. Your comments are utterly disgusting. You are living in the Dark Ages. You have no respect for women. For all one knows, it is someone like you responsible for such pregnancy. Then it is someone like you who is the one who abandons. Then you blame it on the victim.
If you were decent, you would never make the following statement: “A human life come before this feminist movement we constantly see being paraded.” Here you attempt to disregard the human rights of females and you show a window into your mind and your resentment and resistance to being a civil male by revealing “this feminist movement we constantly see being paraded” bothers you so much.
Put yourself in someone else’s shoes. How would you like it if someone told you to undress from the waist down, had you lie on a table and invasively probed and examined your body, perhaps seeking to find matching DNA. But then it’s doubtful you are capable of putting yourself in a woman’s shoes and even trying to begin to understand what she went through for nine months and then this, not to even think of how horrifying it would be to go through such an abusive ordeal after giving birth, which in itself is a huge ordeal.
You are dangerous to society.
Let’s hope the sane people other than you two on this blog will refuse to patronize this airline and country that perpetrates innocent women.
Okay maybe I'm missing something or being incredibly dense, but couldn't they just check the cameras for who entered and exited the bathroom? Surely their appearance/belongings changed between entry/exit, or they were in the bathroom for a long time...
The race issue brought up by a few needs be tempered by the likelihood many of the Australian passengers would not be white (by American definition).
Only Australian residents with permission would be on the plane as our borders are closed to all others.
This is about appalling mistreatment of women against their will.
The baby is alive and well.
Maybe I'm missing something in the story or have not read correctly, but can anyone explain me why this particular flight was targeted? Why not any other one? Or why not airport personnel itself?
@Jane blogs, the 60 year old woman said she was not examined. She was however very traumatised according to her. I understand NSW health did provide mental health support to the women who were of course in quarantine. Nevertheless a truely horrific event for these poor women.
In many US states including California where I practice Emergency Medicine, there are well established Safe Surrender programs. The explicit recognition here is that the welfare and safety of the infant is of the utmost importance. When a woman surrenders the infant, we accept him/her with NO questions asked of the mom if she doesn't want to provide any information. I have personally had this happen 3 times in my 25 year career. To ABDUCT...
In many US states including California where I practice Emergency Medicine, there are well established Safe Surrender programs. The explicit recognition here is that the welfare and safety of the infant is of the utmost importance. When a woman surrenders the infant, we accept him/her with NO questions asked of the mom if she doesn't want to provide any information. I have personally had this happen 3 times in my 25 year career. To ABDUCT the mother and forcibly perform a vaginal exam on her is utterly contemptuous and only shows the true colors of these "wanna-be modern" Middle Eastern countries. Looking at you two specifically, @GM and @Kalboz!!! Hope you both get subjected to a proctological exam on your next QR flight, when the local authorities find a bag of abandoned heroin in the restroom.
IMHO this is a human rights issue and as many have said, we have all chosen to sweep those under the carpet when it comes to Qatar and the UAE as they have developed and created their superficially glamorous worlds to attract the business and tourist dollar, including mine. Most of these passengers were in fact in transit, having only been there for an hour or two. Having listened to interviews from one of those...
IMHO this is a human rights issue and as many have said, we have all chosen to sweep those under the carpet when it comes to Qatar and the UAE as they have developed and created their superficially glamorous worlds to attract the business and tourist dollar, including mine. Most of these passengers were in fact in transit, having only been there for an hour or two. Having listened to interviews from one of those who endured this experience it appears all adult women were taken from the plane with no explanation which was of course concerning right from the start. Even an elderly, sight impaired woman was taken from the plane although whether she then also had an examination I don't know. They were then individually taken into an ambulance on the tarmac where a female doctor proceeded with an internal examination. Still without any explanation which clearly was very distressing. I heard one woman say that when she tried to refuse, it meant she would not be able to board the flight to Australia until she had undergone the examination. Australia has had closed borders for many months now and people are waiting months to get back in and paying big bucks to get one of the few flights arriving so those women had little choice but to undergo the examination if they wanted to leave the country & get back to Australia. And to add insult to injury I am presuming these women then had to endure 2 weeks of strictly guarded quarantine without friends or family once they arrived back in Australia. One can only hope that the govt provided some level of mental health support during that time. Bottom line, prior to proceeding with these invasive exams, at no point did Qatar ask any of these women about the baby let alone do a DNA test as @norman suggests. No doubt a lot more to come on this story.
I can't believe some of the comments on here. Do you realise how invasive this was? How scared these women would have been, not told what's going on? Do you honestly think this is the only way this could have been handled? Can you imagine sitting on a 14 hour flight after this ordeal, trying to process what had just happened to you?
This is not OK, it's assault, and I can't believe anyone...
I can't believe some of the comments on here. Do you realise how invasive this was? How scared these women would have been, not told what's going on? Do you honestly think this is the only way this could have been handled? Can you imagine sitting on a 14 hour flight after this ordeal, trying to process what had just happened to you?
This is not OK, it's assault, and I can't believe anyone trying to explain it away or diminish these women's experiences.
The following article details the experiences of one of the women, and the only one to not be searched after being take off the plane because they saw her grey hair:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/26/i-was-absolutely-terrified-australian-witness-recounts-qatar-strip-search-ordeal
This is utterly abhorrent. Subjecting every woman on a flight to what amounts to sexual assault is completely and utterly unacceptable.
I for one will never fly through Qatar. Even if they were to apologise, it will never change what they did to those innocent women.
Any person defending this sort of behaviour needs to have a damn good hard look at themselves and ask what sort of person would defend mass sexual assault.
@Kalboz
"... here suggesting that the authorities have no business investigating this crime – this is obscene!"
Means don't justify ends in this instance. There have been far worse crimes in the history of mankind and yet no systematic searches were conducted. How would you feel if there had been a murder in your city and they'd systematically search your home and sample your DNA to check if you're innocent?
"Some commenters...
@Kalboz
"... here suggesting that the authorities have no business investigating this crime – this is obscene!"
Means don't justify ends in this instance. There have been far worse crimes in the history of mankind and yet no systematic searches were conducted. How would you feel if there had been a murder in your city and they'd systematically search your home and sample your DNA to check if you're innocent?
"Some commenters making quasi-racist remarks about the culture’s treatment of women which is irrelevant in this case! Women’s rights do not include endangering a life of a BORN person!"
You assume the guilt of the women involved! There are things such as reasonable grounds, probable causes, etc. I'm not sure in what backwards country you live, but here any suspect can deny cooperating.
"If you don’t like their culture, maybe you stay the f@ck away from said country!"
That's the intention for the future.
Very strange. You have 13 women who you suspect of committing the crime of child abandonment. They are all suspects. Explain the situation and ask if they would volunteer to provide a finger prick blood sample and match the DNA with that of the child. You can even let them depart if the results are not immediately available.
If one of the suspects turns out to be the mother you inform the Australian authorities...
Very strange. You have 13 women who you suspect of committing the crime of child abandonment. They are all suspects. Explain the situation and ask if they would volunteer to provide a finger prick blood sample and match the DNA with that of the child. You can even let them depart if the results are not immediately available.
If one of the suspects turns out to be the mother you inform the Australian authorities that one of their citizens abandoned her baby. Now the Aussie government cannot be hostile towards you and the baby can go into foster care in Australia and the mother dealt with by the Australian authorities accordingly.
I absolutely agree with @Kalboz. The Qatari airport authority had to act quick.
We dont have all the facts. I wonder if it was lady doctor who saw the 13 patients. A human life come before this feminist movement we constantly see being paraded.
@Ryan If the women in question weren't white, I doubt that this would have made the news and people would be reacting quite differently. Not suggesting anything, just food for thought.
@kalboz. You don’t have the right to sexually assault a group of women. They have rights , at least in civilised countries. They’ve been forced a woman on her 60s off the aircraft. Why this flight?
You alluded to racism. No respect for a country and government living in the 15th century that don’t give f-k about women’s rights , lgbtq, and equality
@ryan it’s not the airline’s liability here.
Agree with many of the other posters. QR should be facing a multi billion dollar fine, they should not be allowed to fly to Australia for many years and beyond that, any medical personnel who touched these women should be extradited to Australia on sexual assault charges.
If not, they need to kick Qatar out of oneworld and we need to genuinely consider sanctions. This is fucking insane.
Abandoning or endangering a life, let alone a life of a defenseless newborn, is a crime in every society! Many Monday morning quarterbacks here suggesting that the authorities have no business investigating this crime - this is obscene! Some commenters making quasi-racist remarks about the culture's treatment of women which is irrelevant in this case! Women's rights do not include endangering a life of a BORN person! If you don't like their culture, maybe you...
Abandoning or endangering a life, let alone a life of a defenseless newborn, is a crime in every society! Many Monday morning quarterbacks here suggesting that the authorities have no business investigating this crime - this is obscene! Some commenters making quasi-racist remarks about the culture's treatment of women which is irrelevant in this case! Women's rights do not include endangering a life of a BORN person! If you don't like their culture, maybe you stay the f@ck away from said country!
As for the investigative methods, I will not second guess the authorities other than saying that they should follow international agreed upon protocols.
"It’s a risk everyone should be aware of in general when traveling to countries that have different laws" like the US as a non US citizen then? Immigration officers in the US freaks the heck out of me. Every time I travel to the US, I get flagged and have to speak to one, despite being a native Scandinavian. Then there are all the guns everywhere, someone might just take me for a bad guy...
"It’s a risk everyone should be aware of in general when traveling to countries that have different laws" like the US as a non US citizen then? Immigration officers in the US freaks the heck out of me. Every time I travel to the US, I get flagged and have to speak to one, despite being a native Scandinavian. Then there are all the guns everywhere, someone might just take me for a bad guy and shoot me dead on the spot.
@Samo - I try to avoid the US as well, as I don't like the feeling of being treated like I've done something wrong before I even enter the country.
I hope QR time to contemplate to exclude the obvious post menopausals.
The airline shouldn’t be targeted here Baby found and security somehow targeted this specific flight.
If true , is authorised sexual assault by the qatar authorities I doubt the women did this voluntarily
What would you do in their position ? You can’t call the police , ask for a lawyer , seek help ...
Otherwise they would probably have been held in a jail cell
Horrible country And the World Cup should be boycotted
"Qatar Airways Passengers SEXUALLY ASSAULTED After Abandoned Newborn Found In Airport Bathroom"
Fixed the headline for you.
And honestly, what would Qatari officials do if an Australian citizen said "I will not submit to any vaginal probe?"
Will Qatar arrest the woman for "Not allowing stupid vaginal exploration?" Is that a law in Qatar?
This whole thing is just so revolting on so many levels.
everybody should boycott Qatar and the Qatari absolute monarchy royal family !!! we should not give them our money to abuse human rights
It is such horrible news !!! hopefully the Australian government puts an end to this human rights abusing tactics by the Qatari absolute monarchy royal family !! and the west is silent because they buy weapons from them ! not to mention how much Qatar support the Iranian regime in killing its own people !! Qatari regime must be fined and sanctioned the hell out of them !! As a woman I will NEVER feel...
It is such horrible news !!! hopefully the Australian government puts an end to this human rights abusing tactics by the Qatari absolute monarchy royal family !! and the west is silent because they buy weapons from them ! not to mention how much Qatar support the Iranian regime in killing its own people !! Qatari regime must be fined and sanctioned the hell out of them !! As a woman I will NEVER feel safe traveling again ! Doha, Qatar is such a dangerous place for women and human rights
This is an extremely disturbing and horrible incident, I keep thinking that if any of these women were my loved ones, I’d be looking for blood. Even more tragic is the abandonment of this newborn. I personally think this is punishable to the highest degree. However I take issue with the way you paint the Middle East offensively with such a broad brush. This is horrifically poor judgment by the airline, it’s an airline problem, not a Middle East problem.
I’d guess that it was an airport worker before a passenger or crew member. But in any event, it is sexual assault and a clear indicator of the inhumane manner in which these countries in the region treat women. And I’m not buying for a minute that this was about the health of the mother. They are looking for a “criminal” mother. A good reason to never fly ME3 airlines. I would hope Australia would...
I’d guess that it was an airport worker before a passenger or crew member. But in any event, it is sexual assault and a clear indicator of the inhumane manner in which these countries in the region treat women. And I’m not buying for a minute that this was about the health of the mother. They are looking for a “criminal” mother. A good reason to never fly ME3 airlines. I would hope Australia would impose some sort punishment on Qatar. This is not a small thing, you do NOT pull women off a plane and strip search them.
@Sharon what is the Arabic word for Wumao?
Those women then had a long flight into Sydney and were of course placed into hotel quarantine. NSW health workers were aware and I understand were assisting.
I am on expat forum for returning Aussies and at least 5 people as of yesterday morning had cancelled their flights with Qatar despite waiting months to come home.
Another reason to choose QR and Doha International airport for my transfer . Qatari airport authorities acted 100 percent in civilised. Qatar should apologise!!!
I hope the majority of above commentators are not representative of the populace. Their global travel experiences do not broaden their horizon about the world cultures and laws. Only Chris' suggestion is relevant and valid but this was Qatar's first experience on this scenario. Sexual assault--Look at US President? Terrorism--Who is FBI's top domestic target? Military attack--on domestic civilians/protestors? Americans have no standing to criticize other countries when the US is facing compounding challenges, deteriorating...
I hope the majority of above commentators are not representative of the populace. Their global travel experiences do not broaden their horizon about the world cultures and laws. Only Chris' suggestion is relevant and valid but this was Qatar's first experience on this scenario. Sexual assault--Look at US President? Terrorism--Who is FBI's top domestic target? Military attack--on domestic civilians/protestors? Americans have no standing to criticize other countries when the US is facing compounding challenges, deteriorating values and conducts in three branches of governments. We are still bickering about health care and abortion in the 21st century when no other developed countries do. When Kamala Harris asked Kanavaugh to name any law in the book that regulates a man's body, he shook his head and acknowledged that there is none. Innocent people get swept up when things go hay-wired --think about Muslims who were/ are incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay Camp for over a decade without charge.
@JL
I mean, the United States separates toddlers from parents seeking asylum at its borders and openly advertises the fact in an attempt to discourage people from showing up, right?
Most of us are willfully ignorant of how laws are selectively abused.
I'm guessing that it's less likely to have been a passenger that concealed a pregnancy and more likely a guest worker and/or crew member whose circumstances were insurmountable.
It makes sense to me that a woman whose immigration status and livelihood conflicted with the ability to raise a unplanned child could end up in this situation, especially given social or legal restrictions on terminating a pregnancy or even becoming pregnant out of wedlock. I imagine...
I'm guessing that it's less likely to have been a passenger that concealed a pregnancy and more likely a guest worker and/or crew member whose circumstances were insurmountable.
It makes sense to me that a woman whose immigration status and livelihood conflicted with the ability to raise a unplanned child could end up in this situation, especially given social or legal restrictions on terminating a pregnancy or even becoming pregnant out of wedlock. I imagine the pressure would be even worse if the pregnancy arose from some sort of sexual assault.
But, but, but, their state airline has such an awesome premium class. Let's just overlook this incident and keep supporting them.
Its more than just 13 Australian women, there were a bunch of nationalities involved including women from several EU countries.
This is just the start, I would expect similar responses from those other countries. Whether it makes any difference or not remains to be seen, but one would think DOH will think twice before repeating this
While I agree this was horrific, what matters is the law in Qatar, not Australia or another country. No one will be arrested if this was legally ok in Qatar, much less extradited as some suggested. So is this legal in Qatar?
This is a crime. Anyone involved should be extradited for prosecution for sexual assault in the home countries of the victims, and then put in a hole for many years. Good thing I'm not the leader of one of the countries of the victims. Military planes would already be in the air. Complete lack of civilization.
I'll go with Samo on this one.
This is why I stopped visiting authoritarian countries (and avoid getting into their jurisdiction in any way). Most of the time you get a nice experience of a normal country they pretend to be, but when stuff hits the fan, you have no rights and you will be treated like an animal.
Thanks but no thanks. There are so many better options, especially when I only need to transit. If worse champagne is the...
This is why I stopped visiting authoritarian countries (and avoid getting into their jurisdiction in any way). Most of the time you get a nice experience of a normal country they pretend to be, but when stuff hits the fan, you have no rights and you will be treated like an animal.
Thanks but no thanks. There are so many better options, especially when I only need to transit. If worse champagne is the price of my safety and being treated like a human being, I'll take it.
Here's 'the circumstances that can lead to this' (leaving a baby in an airport), from the NY Times:
``The Doha episode shined a harsh light on the treatment of women in a country where systemic gender disparity and oppression are common, and where it is illegal to have sex or become pregnant outside of marriage. Local women charged with such a crime, known as “zina,” can be imprisoned.''
Okay! So can someone tell me what else could they do? Let me put it this way, had this happened in EU/US what would they do? Does the child not have any rights, I know everyone is saying this against woman rights
This is not just an Australian incident. If any wrongdoing is found other countries are going to react as well. Who will let their citizens fly on an airline that sexually assaulted their passengers?
Wait so they did this to all 13 women but after the invasive search didn't find any of them to be the mother. I'm guessing the mother may have departed on another QR flight already?
“She added, “These examinations can constitute sexual assault.”
This is precisely why a police report was filed in Australia and police is working with foreign office
@Lucky check out the New York Times Article about this topic.
The New York Times article does not Sugar coat the news like your article does.
“She added, “These examinations can constitute sexual assault.”
She added that performing invasive exams on dozens of women was a “very strange and abusive way” to find and help a new mother in need. “It’s just not the right way to get help for the baby or for...
@Lucky check out the New York Times Article about this topic.
The New York Times article does not Sugar coat the news like your article does.
“She added, “These examinations can constitute sexual assault.”
She added that performing invasive exams on dozens of women was a “very strange and abusive way” to find and help a new mother in need. “It’s just not the right way to get help for the baby or for the mother,” Ms. Barr said.
Surely Nothing prevents this kind of Assault from happening again to not just women
But anyone who is visiting or transiting the UAE or Qatar Airways.
Come on man,
Stand up for these women,
Let people make a informed decision about whether to visit UAE
or fly with Qatar Airways.
Nobody should be forced to a strip search and virginity test with their pre departure beverage.
that was awful, anyway any pregnant passengers who are travelling by air, the airlines requires the passenger to present a medical certificate of fit to fly. they could have narrow down the search whoever is flying pregnant on that flight rather than forcing the women passengers to strip
Was the baby white? Are any news stories discussing the baby's ethnicity?
@GM
What an awful and tone deaf comment!
Imagine a female being sexually assaulted in a city and all men including you (assuming you are male) are rounded up for a strip (and invasive) search to find out who the culprit is.
Yeah, never going to happen. right?
This is typical of male dominated societies where women are just treated as animals who don't have a say in even the most personal of matters - their bodies!
This is absolutely awful.
How could this have been done in the time of a pandemic none the less.
While traditionally we have considered Middle East countries together, I think it is not appropriate to group Qatar with the other countries at this time.
UAE is far more cosmopolitan and accepting of others than Qatar. Qatar sponsors terrorist organizations such as Hamas and works with Iran, where’s UAE wants no part in...
This is absolutely awful.
How could this have been done in the time of a pandemic none the less.
While traditionally we have considered Middle East countries together, I think it is not appropriate to group Qatar with the other countries at this time.
UAE is far more cosmopolitan and accepting of others than Qatar. Qatar sponsors terrorist organizations such as Hamas and works with Iran, where’s UAE wants no part in that.
I have no hesitation to fly Eithiad or the Emirates but i refuse to give my money to Qatar.
While this is grossly inappropriate , sadly it wouldn’t so much as raise an eyebrow among the local and guest worker population; they’re inured to such abuses and intrusions.
The ( wafer thin) veneer of sophistication in these gulf state hell holes can, and does, give the false impression they’re safe, and especially so when traveling on their very good airlines.
I too can attest that the shit has hit the fan on this one here in Australia, this is such a horrific story. I doubt QR had much say in how the women were treated, based on an interview from a doctor onboard, they were told to deplane and there were 3 ambulances waiting on the ramp with medical staff mandating the searches. It would seem DOH airport authorities made the call, and the women...
I too can attest that the shit has hit the fan on this one here in Australia, this is such a horrific story. I doubt QR had much say in how the women were treated, based on an interview from a doctor onboard, they were told to deplane and there were 3 ambulances waiting on the ramp with medical staff mandating the searches. It would seem DOH airport authorities made the call, and the women weren't told why they were being searched until after the exam. An utterly deplorable situation.
Apparently the crew didn't know what transpired when the passengers got back onboard.
What a horrifying, debilitating and traumatising experience for the women involved. Fortunately they received additional mental health and trauma support whilst in hotel quarantine (not that that's enough....)
This is the talk of town for many Australians as mentioned by Nathan - I hope the Aus government prevents Qatar from obtaining their long wanted slot in Brisbane airport and that...
Apparently the crew didn't know what transpired when the passengers got back onboard.
What a horrifying, debilitating and traumatising experience for the women involved. Fortunately they received additional mental health and trauma support whilst in hotel quarantine (not that that's enough....)
This is the talk of town for many Australians as mentioned by Nathan - I hope the Aus government prevents Qatar from obtaining their long wanted slot in Brisbane airport and that an apology and compensation is issued to the victims, and someone is made responsible.
why only the passengers? seems more likely someone from the crew because they probably are from Qatar. Heard the baby was alive (cannot confirm this) btw good job for creating a rise in tourism ...
I am Australian and I can tell you that, down under, the shit has totally hit the fan. EVERYONE is talking about it.
QR will need to be transparent and
co-operate, or it will suddenly find rights revoked, particularly in my hometown of BNE where they have been so desperate to fly to for so long.
Admiral Akbar will have a hard time digging his airline out of this rather large diplomatic hole.
This is a terrible situation, and I don't think it was handled well on the Qatari end, but can you blame them for their concern when a newborn infant was simply abandoned in an airport bathroom?