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WELLINGTON (AFP) – New Zealand revealed that one of its citizens was among the women subjected to invasive pelvic exams at Doha airport, calling the action “completely unacceptable”.
“We were extremely concerned to learn … that a New Zealand citizen was involved in the gruesome incident involving female passengers on several Qatar Airways flights,” the Foreign Office said in a statement Thursday evening (29 May October).
“This action was completely unacceptable. We are making our views known to the Qatari authorities and are seeking a full report on what happened.”
Women on 10 flights from Doha were tested as authorities in the ultra-conservative Gulf state searched for the mother of a newborn baby who was found abandoned in an airport bathroom.
The Foreign Office statement did not provide details about the New Zealand woman involved, citing privacy concerns.
Qatar said on Wednesday it “regrets any distress” over the incident, which occurred in early October but came to light this week after affected Australian passengers spoke.
Australia has since said that 13 of its citizens had to endure the “gruesome” exams, Britain said it is supporting two women and AFP has learned that a French woman was also affected.
In its first account of the events, Qatar said the girl was wrapped in plastic and left to die in a bathroom trash can, prompting what sources said was an airport closure.
The women were then taken from planes to ambulances on the tarmac where they underwent cervical exams to see if they had recently given birth.
Qatar has launched an investigation into the incident, which involved women on 10 flights, and sources say those involved could face criminal prosecution.
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