Women to Sue Qatar for Invasive Body Searches at Airport in Doha

Women who were forced to undergo invasive searches on flights from Doha airport are suing authorities in Qatar in an attempt to prevent it from happening to other travelers. Seven of the more than a dozen women, who were subjected to gynecological searches at the Doha airport, announced that they will file a lawsuit in Australia against the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority, Hamad International Airport, Qatar Airways and the country’s government in the coming weeks. The lawsuit comes ahead of the 2022 World Cup set to be held in Doha, which is preparing to receive thousands of foreign soccer fans. The women are seeking a formal apology, compensation and protection for future passengers at the airport. The incidents occurred last year as Qatari authorities searched for the mother of an abandoned newborn. The women, who first attempted mediation, say they still suffer from trauma, and that they are not aware of women being treated differently at the airport in the wake of the incident. Sex and childbirth outside of marriage are punishable by jail in Qatar, the French news agency AFP reported.