Qatar says it has referred officials at its international airport to prosecutors for possible charges after women abroad Qatar Airways flights faced forced vaginal examinations when workers found an abandoned baby.
Key points:
- A statement from Qatar's Government Communications Office called the searches "violations and illegal actions"
- The statement said specialised task forces were reviewing procedures and protocols at the airport
- Foreign Minister Marise Payne welcomed the apology and said the referral was an important step
The statement comes as the Australian Government has expressed outrage and union workers have threatened not to service Qatar Airways aircraft in Sydney over the incident on October 2.
Australia also represents a crucial route for Qatar Airways, the state-owned long-haul carrier based at Hamad International Airport in Doha.
In a statement, Qatar's Government Communication Office described the abandoning of the baby as the "attempted murder" of the child.
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"The subsequent procedures taken by the authorities at the airport, including examining a number of female passengers, revealed that standard procedures were violated," the statement said.
"Following the directives of His Excellency Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, specialised task forces are reviewing and identifying any potential gaps in the procedures and protocols followed at Hamad International Airport, in order to address them and ensure that any violations are avoided in the future.
"His Excellency the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior expressed the Government of the State of Qatar's sincerest apology for what some female travellers went through as a result of the measures."
The Prime Minister also tweeted a promise to hold those responsible for the "unacceptable treatment" to account.
The statement said the incident was the first of its kind at the airport, and was "wholly inconsistent with Qatar's culture and values".
It did not specify what charges might be laid.
Australian Government welcomes apology and referral to prosecutors
The physical examinations of passengers bound for Sydney has triggered outrage in Australia, where the Government denounced the searches as inappropriate and beyond circumstances in which the women could give free and informed consent.
Human rights activists say such exams conducted under duress amount to sexual assault.
In a statement, Foreign Minister Marise Payne welcomed the apology and said the referral of officials to prosecutors was an important step.
"Australian passengers will be reassured that Qatar has established a specialised task force to review procedures and protocols to ensure there is never a repeat of this incident," Senator Payne said.
"The statement of the Government of Qatar is consistent with our expectations for contrition, accountability and determination to avoid any repeat of this disturbing episode."
Senator Payne said it had been "a difficult and distressing incident for those women involved".
"We respect their privacy and will endeavour to provide any support they may need," she said.
Senator Payne referred the incident to the Australian Federal Police on Monday.
As the reports came to light this week, the Government of Qatar apologised and promised a full investigation to be shared internationally.
It earlier called the discovery of the newborn buried in a plastic bag under trash "an egregious and life-threatening" act.
In Qatar, like much of the Middle East, sex and childbirth outside of marriage are criminalised.
Migrant workers in the past have hidden pregnancies and tried to travel abroad to give birth, and others have abandoned their babies anonymously to avoid imprisonment.
The revelation that women on a total of 10 flights in Doha earlier this month were subjected to invasive vaginal exams has spiralled into a public relations catastrophe for Qatar, a tiny oil-rich state on the Arabian Peninsula and host nation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
ABC/AP
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTEwLTMwL3FhdGFyLWZlbWFsZS1wYXNzZW5nZXItZXhhbWluYXRpb24tb2ZmaWNpYWxzLXJlZmVycmVkLXByb3NlY3V0b3IvMTI4MzQxOTLSASdodHRwczovL2FtcC5hYmMubmV0LmF1L2FydGljbGUvMTI4MzQxOTI?oc=5
2020-10-30 09:50:00Z
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