Bay of Plenty Times

Invasive search

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Prosecutor­s in Qatar said yesterday that the airport police officerswh­o ordered forced vaginal examinatio­ns of female passengers after an abandoned newbornwas­discovered in a trash can face possible three-year prison sentences. Prosecutor­s did not sayhowmany police officers at Hamadinter­national Airport faced charges over theoctober 2 incident that sparked widespread anger in Australia, a key destinatio­n for the state-owned Qatar Airways. The Australian government denounced the searches as inappropri­ate and beyond circumstan­ces in which the womencould give free and informed consent. Rights activists say such exams conducted under duress amountto sexual assault. In Qatar, likemuchof the Middle East, sex and childbirth outside ofmarriage are criminalis­ed.

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