Qatar strip searches Women passengers, UK and Australia objects to this grossly offensive act

Earlier this month, Doha airport authorities strip-searched two women passengers, British nations, who were travelling through Qatar. They were asked to get off from their flight without any explanation and were forced to take medical tests, wherein they taken into a waiting ambulances. Inside the ambulance, they were asked to remove their underwear to be medically examined by a female doctor to see if they had recently given birth.

The incident, which was described as offensive and unacceptable by UK government, was an outcome of Qatari government’s urgent decision for forced medical check up of women passengers after the airport authorities discovered an alive newborn baby placed in dustbin. Doha authorities said that the baby was in the care facility.

Following the incident, UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office registered a formal complaint against Qatar authorities and released a statement saying, “We are providing ongoing support to two British women following an incident in Doha. We have formally expressed our concern with the Qatari authorities and Qatar Airways and are seeking assurances an unacceptable incident like this cannot happen again.”

Besides UK, Australian government also slammed Qatari authorities for ‘terrifying treatment” of its nationals. Doha authorities force checked 18 women on a flight from Doha to Sydney, among whom 13 were Australian citizens and five people of other nationalities. Australian officials said passengers from 10 flights leaving Doha on October 2 were subjected to that treatment.

Qatar was quick to respond and said that it regretted any distress caused to these women.

Following the incident, UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office registered a formal complaint against Qatar authorities and released a statement saying, “We are providing ongoing support to two British women following an incident in Doha. We have formally expressed our concern with the Qatari authorities and Qatar Airways and are seeking assurances an unacceptable incident like this cannot happen again.”

This incident led to uproar in both the nations and the Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Marise Payne, slammed the mistreatment by Doha authorities.

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,

Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Marise Payne

Australian Labor Party leader, took to twitter to express her outrage against the horrific incident saying, “The Australian women subjected to the outrageous violation in Qatar deserve a proper apology at the very least – and they also deserve an Australian government that will pick up the phone to their Qatari counterparts and stand up for them.”

Soon the issue became a global, even the players and coaches from the three A-League teams joined in and expressed serious concerns about health and safety risks they might have to face be in Qatar. The players are scheduled to participate in the upcoming AFC Champions League, to be held next month.