Geelong woman launches legal action over Qatar Airways strip search ordeal

A woman forced off a Qatar Airways plane for invasive examinations after a newborn was found dead has opened up about her subsequent trauma, including the impact on her own pregnancy.

A Geelong woman hauled off a Qatar Airways plane and subjected to forced invasive examinations last year has talked about the traumatic impact on her mental health and pregnancy one year on.

Numerous women, including more than a dozen Australians, were targeted and searched last year after a newborn baby was found dumped in a toilet rubbish bin at Doha.

Suzie, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, is one of several women lodging action in hopes of getting an apology, compensation and affecting change.

“I’m currently pregnant, and as much as this baby is very loved and wanted, last year’s events have affected my whole pregnancy so far,” she said. “I haven’t been able to settle in or get truly excited, as I am petrified that something is going to go wrong, or something bad is going to happen to our baby.”

Over the past year, Suzie says she has struggled with anxiety, PTSD, nightmares and flashbacks after being hauled off the Qatar Airways plane in Doha and strip-searched. Picture: AFP

Over the past year, Suzie said she had struggled with anxiety, PTSD, nightmares and flashbacks.

The group have now set up a GoFundMe with the aim of covering their legal fees.

Suzie told the Geelong Advertiser she and her husband were on their way home from London when the horrific incident occurred.

“When Covid hit and the Australian borders started to close we made the decision to come home earlier than originally planned,” she said.

Their flight was delayed for a number of hours, with passengers reportedly told that the plane was experiencing a mechanical issue.

But when an announcement from an unknown man asked all women to disembark with their passports, things took a turn for the worse.

“I was incredibly hesitant to get off the plane at that point because no one had given me any information, I was in a country I didn’t know, and everyone was speaking Arabic,” she said.

“At this stage, men carrying guns started boarding the plane. We didn’t know if they were police, security guards or it was a terror-hostage situation,” she said.

Without being told where they were going, Suzie said women were led in small groups through the airport, into a lift and outside to a waiting ambulance.

The women weren’t told where they were going, offered consular assistance or even told what was happening.

After being hauled into the ambulance, she was told a baby had been found and women needed to be “checked” – with some women undergoing forced gynaecological examinations – as they searched for its mother.

“I felt paralysed and in complete shock,” she said.

“The men took me back up to the aeroplane. I wanted to go back into the terminal and warn the other women about what was happening, but they wouldn’t let me.”

There’s also been no personal apology for their ordeal, aside from a tweet published by the Qatari Prime Minister after news of the incident hit the media.

“We have always been open to have a conversation with the Qatar government and Qatar Airways. But we have either been ignored or had our requests dismissed,” she said.

Adding to the stress of the incident was the news the World Cup was going to be held in Doha, and the news Qatar Airways had received a big industry award.

It was then that some of the women decided to look into taking things further. “This is incredibly insulting and upsetting for us all,” she said.

Legal action will be launched in the NSW Supreme Court in coming weeks, seeking procedural change, an apology and compensation

“We want changes to be put in place regarding women’s rights in general and when transiting through the airport,” Suzie said.

“People should be safe in those situations.

“The fact I am from Geelong makes you realise that it really could of ­happened to anyone, and any Australian trying to make their way home.”

Qatar Airways, the Qatari embassy in Australia and the Qatari government were contacted for comment.

To learn more or donate to the GoFundMe campaign click here.

Originally published as Geelong woman launches legal action over Qatar Airways strip search ordeal