[ad_1]
Warning: content may cause distress
Women on 10 different flights at Doha airport were subjected to invasive internal examinations by Qatari authorities earlier this month, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne revealed.
Payne told a parliamentary hearing that 18 Australian women were involved. It was understood that several women of other nationalities also participated.
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade was not aware of any affected New Zealanders, a spokesman said. Stuff.
Were you on one of the flights affected by this? Email us at [email protected]
The tests came after a premature newborn was found in a terminal bathroom at Hamad International Airport.
Supplied
The women aboard flight QR908 from Doha to Sydney were detained without explanation following the discovery of the boy.
“The issues that are being discussed in relation to this matter are very worrying and very distributive and the Australian government has been clear about it,” Payne said.
READ MORE:
* ‘Some were upset, angry, one was crying’: significant concerns about invasive Doha searches
* Qatar Airways flight to Auckland returns to Doha after ‘engine warning’
Eighteen women were Australian and Payne has declined to provide details about the other women involved due to privacy concerns.
“There have been a series of meetings that continue in Qatar until yesterday. Australia is not the only country affected,” he said.
The Qatari government said it “regrets any anguish or violation of personal freedoms” of the women.
“A newborn baby was found in a garbage can, hidden in a plastic bag and buried under the garbage, at Hamad International Airport (HIA),” the government said in a statement.
“The girl was rescued from what appeared to be a gruesome and gruesome attempt to kill her.
“This was the first instance in which an abandoned baby was discovered in such condition at the HIA; this egregious and life-threatening violation of the law triggered an immediate search for the parents, including on flights close to where the newborn was found. .
“While the purpose of the urgently determined search was to prevent the perpetrators of the horrific crime from escaping, the State of Qatar regrets any distress or violation of the personal freedoms of any traveler caused by this action.”
According to the statement, the Qatari government has ordered a “full and transparent investigation” into the incident to be shared with the Australian authorities.
“The State of Qatar remains committed to ensuring the safety and comfort of all travelers transiting the country,” the statement said.
It also emerged that the Australian government was first alerted to the incident on October 4.
The news comes as the Transport Workers Union in Australia threatens to boycott Qatar Airlines in response to the incident if the government does not act.
– This article was first published by 9News and is republished with permission.
