London: Qatar’s foreign minister has refused to say if the Australian women subjected to invasive searches at Hamad International Airport should be compensated for their ordeal.

Seven of the women are launching a lawsuit against Qatari authorities and say, through their lawyer, that they have been told their claims have no legal merit.

On October 2, 2020, the women were transiting through Doha and had boarded their flight when they were hauled off two Qatar Airways flights at Hamad International Airport without explanation.

Some were taken to an ambulance and instructed to remove their pants and underwear and were then subjected to an extremely invasive gynaecological inspection. The women did not consent and say they were panicked, scared and extremely anxious, some feared for their lives and compared it to being raped.

All women say they have suffered depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and fear of flying ever since.

Qatari authorities had found a newborn baby dumped in an airport toilet. It is illegal to have a child out of marriage in the Gulf state. The women were being examined to see if they had given birth.

Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani speaking at Chatham House in London on Wednesday, February 16, 2022.Credit:Latika Bourke

Asked by The Sydney Morning Herald & The Age if they should be compensated, Qatar’s foreign minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said the matter had been settled.

”As the government we are taking the full responsibility of this action and we are penalising the people who were responsible for such a slip, which was a big mistake, and we apologised to the Australian government and to the victims of that incident,” he said, during an appearance at the London foreign policy think tank Chatham House.

“Regarding the legal case that they are pursuing, by the ladies, that is a legal challenge, I can’t comment, unfortunately,” he said.

“It was a single incident that happened and nothing happened after that and we are assuring the safety and security of women and men who are travelling through Qatar Airways.”

Al Thani said all airport staff were undergoing training to ensure the incident was never repeated.

Damian Sturzaker, partner at Marque Lawyers which is representing seven of the women in the lawsuit in NSW Supreme Court against Qatari authorities said it was hard to have any confidence in the minister’s responses, as the training regimes and promised new airport procedures have never been released publicly.

“The brave women who we represent will continue to press for a full explanation as to why their human rights were completely disregarded as well as what has been done to ensure the safety of women travelling through Doha Airport and with Qatar Airways,” Sturzaker said.

Separate to the lawsuit underway in the NSW Supreme Court, the women have also taken their plight to the OECD complaining that their human rights were breached by a multinational entity. Qatar is not a member of the OECD but the state-owned airline operates flights out of Australia where it has a registered office in Melbourne.

In that complaint, lodged in December last year, the women want Qatar Airways to provide a meaningful apology for the hurt and distress caused as well as the company’s failure to acknowledge their experiences. Additionally, they want to engage in “constructive dialogue” about their claims for compensation as well as be provided assurances that it will never happen again.

Qatar Airways was due to provide its response to the OECD this week but sought an extension.

“The women continue to press their claims before the OECD and will shortly commence proceedings before the NSW courts,” Sturzaker said.

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