Qatar Government on Wednesday after female passengers from 10 Qatar Airways flights were forcibly examined by the airport authorities to find out who might have given birth to a newborn baby that was found abandoned at the airport earlier this month. The women searched were mostly Australian passengers.
After the examination was condemned by Australia and also the world, Qatar’s government said it had begun an investigation. It said they are taking the matter seriously on the treatment of the women who were taking Qatar Airways Flight 908 to Sydney on Oct. 2.
The government of Qatar has said it “regrets any distress or infringement on the personal freedom of any traveller” caused to women passengers from conducting intimate medical examinations through Doha international airport.
The government said it was an “urgently-decided search” to find the mother of an abandoned baby.
The Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison said such treatment of the women was “unacceptable” and “appalling” and his government would “continue to take a very strident approach” in seeking answers and ensuring it would never be repeated.
Qatar did not give an immediate response to how officials decided to do invasive vaginal examinations on the women without any evidence. Such examinations conducted under pressure is equal to sexual assault, described human rights activists.
Three days after the incident spread like fire and the act was condemned, the Qatar government broke its silence on Wednesday. It said the search was triggered after a baby was found in a trash can at Hamad international airport, “concealed in a plastic bag and buried under garbage”.
“The baby girl was rescued from what appeared to be a shocking and appalling attempt to kill her,” the statement said. “The infant is now safe under medical care in Doha.
“This was the first instance of an abandoned infant being discovered in such a condition at HIA – this egregious and life-threatening violation of the law triggered an immediate search for the parents, including on flights in the vicinity of where the newborn was found. While the urgently-decided search aimed to prevent the perpetrators of the horrible crime from escaping, the State of Qatar regrets any distress or infringement on the personal freedoms of any traveller caused by this action.”
“His Excellency Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the State of Qatar has directed that a comprehensive, transparent investigation into the incident be conducted. The results of the investigation will be shared with our international partners. The State of Qatar remains committed to ensuring the safety, security and comfort of all travellers transiting through the country.”
Morrison on Wednesday said the travellers have all the right to travel “free of those types of incidents.” He further added that the results of the investigation should come soon.
“As a father of daughters, I could only shudder at the thought that any woman, Australian or otherwise, would be subjected to that,” the prime minister said.
Morrison said he was determined to guarantee the safety of women and ensure such incidents are never repeated. He also stated that Qatar Airways was currently performing an important role in sending about 15% of the Australians who have been stranded during the pandemic.
In Qatar, much like any other Middle East country has stringent laws. Migrant workers in the past have hidden pregnancies and tried to travel abroad to give birth, and most of them have abandoned their babies to save themselves from prison.
When asked on if Australia would demand an apology from the Qatari government, Morrison said, “There is no doubt in the mind of whether it’s Qatari airlines or the government, about Australia’s strong objections and views about this and I think those views are shared, widely, so we will make a further response, not our first response, a further response, once we have the opportunity to see the results of that investigation.”
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Qatar said the investigation will be shared on an international forum while Australian Federal Police also are examining the subject.
Australia’s Seven Network News reported the women were examined in an ambulance on the tarmac.
One of the male passengers from the flights said women were taken from the plane regardless of their age and with no explanation.