Australian women on Qatar flight internally examined

[RooFlyer]

Unless I’ve been living on a different planet for the last 18 months, Qantas has not operated scheduled passenger services since the beginning of the pandemic (with the exception of the brief kiwi bubble). And yes, they did pocket a huge amount of public funds.

Ah, you seem to be talking about Qantas international services, not Qantas in toto. "Qantas" of course, operated an enormous number of scheduled services and yes, even international for a while.

 

[N860CR]

Ah, you seem to be talking about Qantas international services, not Qantas in toto. "Qantas" of course, operated an enormous number of scheduled services and yes, even international for a while.

Is the subject not people arriving internationally into Australia? And no, they operated charters but no scheduled services.

There seems to be some concern that Australia has not somehow “punished” a foreign country for actions that are not entirely surprising for that part of the world. Australia has no authority over Qatar. I sympathize with folk who had to fly on such airlines because the Australian carrier elected not to fly at all.

 

[Pushka]

While of course every person has significant issues with what happened to these women, Qatar was the only airline that consistently flew flights into and out of Adelaide. Qantas international abandoned SA years ago.

 

[Tiki]

I feel sorry for the women this happened to. But I don't think it was the fault of the airline. It was the fault of incompetent over zealous police and security. The airline is only involved because the baby was found in an airport bathroom. It could have happened in a hotel, bar, shopping centre, anywhere there are public restrooms and it would have been whatever women of childbearing age were there, but still the fault of police.

 

[Daver6]

I feel sorry for the women this happened to. But I don't think it was the fault of the airline. It was the fault of incompetent over zealous police and security. The airline is only involved because the baby was found in an airport bathroom. It could have happened in a hotel, bar, shopping centre, anywhere there are public restrooms and it would have been whatever women of childbearing age were there, but still the fault of police.

I think the reason people make the link to the airline is that the police/security is essentially the government. And it's the same government that owns the airline.

 

[cove]

We managed to get home in March 2020 on Qatar from London when no other airline was answering our calls. We felt very lucky.

 

[drron]

And these things have been happening throughout the middle east for years and still happen.The victims of rape -women or men -usually spend time behind bars.The women for sex outside of marriage,the men for being involved in a homosexual act.I made my decision to not fly any ME airline many years ago.
Dubai-

Rape Victim Jailed | Detained in Dubai

Charged with Sex Outside Marriage after Rape. Rape Victims Jailed. A 25 year old Norwegian woman on a business trip to Dubai was raped. When she reported the incident to police, they through her in a police cell and charged her with “having sex outside marriage”.

www.detainedindubai.org

Qatar-

Dutch woman jailed in Qatar after reporting rape convicted of 'illicit sex' | CNN

A Dutch woman who was jailed in Qatar after she reported being raped, has been convicted of illicit consensual fornication and being drunk in a public place.

edition.cnn.com

Qatar media have not reported any such incidents since Qatar sought the Soccer World Cup.But you can at least support some action against the Qataris by signing this petition.

Sign Petition: Demand Qatar change their penal code to protect rape victims not jail them

Raped and then arrested like a criminal for it. The treatment of rape victims in Qatar is an insult to human rights, and an (10970 signatures on petition)

www.thepetitionsite.com

 

[astrosly]

I think the reason people make the link to the airline is that the police/security is essentially the government. And it's the same government that owns the airline.

I wonder if it was another airline if they would have allowed the airport staff onto the aircraft to disembark the women in that circumstance? Say if it was BA, would they have let that happen to those passengers?

 

[MARTINE]

And these things have been happening throughout the middle east for years and still happen.The victims of rape -women or men -usually spend time behind bars.The women for sex outside of marriage,the men for being involved in a homosexual act.I made my decision to not fly any ME airline many years ago.
Dubai-

Rape Victim Jailed | Detained in Dubai

Charged with Sex Outside Marriage after Rape. Rape Victims Jailed. A 25 year old Norwegian woman on a business trip to Dubai was raped. When she reported the incident to police, they through her in a police cell and charged her with “having sex outside marriage”.

www.detainedindubai.org

Qatar-

Dutch woman jailed in Qatar after reporting rape convicted of 'illicit sex' | CNN

A Dutch woman who was jailed in Qatar after she reported being raped, has been convicted of illicit consensual fornication and being drunk in a public place.

edition.cnn.com

Qatar media have not reported any such incidents since Qatar sought the Soccer World Cup.But you can at least support some action against the Qataris by signing this petition.

Sign Petition: Demand Qatar change their penal code to protect rape victims not jail them

Raped and then arrested like a criminal for it. The treatment of rape victims in Qatar is an insult to human rights, and an (10970 signatures on petition)

www.thepetitionsite.com

Thanks for this link

 

[DC3]

We managed to get home in March 2020 on Qatar from London when no other airline was answering our calls. We felt very lucky.

… but not so lucky for others …. As per the topic of this thread.

Edited

​

 

[DC3]

I think the reason people make the link to the airline is that the police/security is essentially the government. And it's the same government that owns the airline.

There are quite a few who aren’t seeing that link.

 

[get me outta here]

A few earlier links from the beginning of this topic about women being sexually assaulted by Qatari authorities as they transitted on their way home to Australia.

'I was absolutely terrified': Australian witness recounts Qatar strip-search ordeal

Kim Mills was one of nine women taken off a Qatar Airways flight in Doha, and the only one not to be strip-searched as authorities hunted the mother of an abandoned newborn baby

www.theguardian.com

Australians among women subjected to 'offensive' examinations after newborn found in Qatar airport bathroom

The Australian Government expresses "serious concerns" with Qatar after several passengers on board a flight from Doha to Sydney were reportedly subjected to an invasive internal examination.

mobile.abc.net.au

'Nowhere to run': Women strip-searched in Qatar after baby found in bathroom say they were locked in ambulance

An Australian woman strip-searched by authorities at a Qatari airport after a premature baby was found in a bathroom says she is considering legal action over the "terrifying" experience.

www.abc.net.au

 

[DC3]

… Its not an attempt to debate.…. ie that is the sum total of what I can do as an individual (Hence my term contribution) …not mandating all others do the same . If they did Qatar would have no market here.
The ‘alleged’ crimes occurred in the context of flying QATAR whilst the passengers were in their care.

Looking back over this thread, there’s a surprising lack of empathy from some posters.

 

[MARTINE]

There are quite a few who aren’t seeing that link.

I see the link
I see what happened
I also think it’s irrelevant if police/Govt/airline are one and the same
I can choose to refuse to fly them /will sign a petition
People can choose to do what they want with this knowledge
I have made my choice and others will make theirs
…..so I will avoid using them

Post automatically merged: Nov 14, 2021

Looking back over this thread, there’s a surprising lack of empathy from some posters.

I have full empathy and think have made my posts clearly in support of that. I used the word ‘alleged’ out of habit
I think they have been subject of a crime with little redress
I accept you may nor be referring to me

 

[DC3]

I see the link
I see what happened
I also think it’s irrelevant if police/Govt/airline are one and the same
I can choose to refuse to fly them /will sign a petition
People can choose to do what they want with this knowledge
I have made my choice and others will make theirs
…..so I will avoid using them

I hope that you are not under the impression that I was referring to you in my post.

Edit: I’m not sure how my post could be misconstrued, as I was referring to those with a lack of empathy. You clearly are not in that category.

 

[MARTINE]

I hope that you are not under the impression that I was referring to you in my post.

Its okay - I realky feel for those women
thanks for clarifying

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think the reason people make the link to the airline is that the police/security is essentially the government. And it's the same government that owns the airline.

oh! That’s a different perspective than i thought everyone had! I thought it was because the airline failed to act to stop it happening… not because of the state ownership of police.

Post automatically merged: Nov 14, 2021

I wonder if it was another airline if they would have allowed the airport staff onto the aircraft to disembark the women in that circumstance? Say if it was BA, would they have let that happen to those passengers?

I doubt there would have been much room for any airline to disobey once the decision was made. Maybe a foreign airline might have tried to get more information and pass it on before the lax disembarked? But there’s no precedent here.

 

[get me outta here]

Today’s SMH - No progress from Qatar or the Aust govt:

Australian women invasively examined on Qatar flight set to sue after ‘being ignored’

Seven of the 13 women hauled off a Qatar Airways flight and forced to undergo invasive examinations at Doha airport are threatening legal action against the airline and Qatari authorities.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Tiki]

I watched 60 minutes last night and I still feel sorry for the women and think they deserve justice. But I honestly don't think justice is served by going after the airline simply because it belongs to the same entity as the police dept. Police have final authority and can stop any plane, even turn it around on the tarmac if they suspect a criminal is abord. The airline crew - pilots, cabin crew had no say in the situation. They had to let the police board and then butt out.

The women need to go after the police and airport security who actually committed the deed. I see that one police was tried and given a suspended sentence which is not enough. He should have done time and paid a fine or compensation to the women, plus all the other police who were involved. And they should all be sacked. Remaining police should be given proper training on how to handle these cases in the future.

I may have a different perspective of Qatar than many people. I have been there several times and always been treated well. I often use QR between IST/SAW - DOH - Australia and pay a visit to Souk Waqif by local bus if time permits, most recently in late Feb 2020. Normal, everyday Qataris have always been kind, helpful and respectful. I hate seeing the whole country bashed because of a few bad ones or even the govt. They are not all like that. I wouldn't want people to judge me based on Scomo or some rogue ADF who wrongs someone and gets in the news for all the wrong reasons.

 

[get me outta here]

What happened to the Australian women is just an extension of quite a few Qatar occurrences against women. For example, if you are a woman and you go out and your drink is spiked, you are raped and you wake up somewhere unknown it is you who will be unceremoniously thrown in jail, not the rapist.

This is not just a one off terrible example of the treatment of women, these are those that we hear about. If a woman has nice visits there and nothing terrible happens to her, that is good. But it does not go for everybody and there is plenty of evidence for that. One of the Australian women was holding a five month old baby and was still sexually assaulted by the Qataris to see if she had recently had a baby.

I would still like to know if they found the unfortunate woman who gave birth in a toilet and felt that she needed to abandon her baby. Did they catch her, if so what happened to her. The Qataris were certainly bent on catching her and I hope that she was not caught. She had enough to content with.