Qatar to deport Dutch woman at the eye of storm
A Dutch woman who alleged she was raped after being drugged in an upmarket nightclub in Doha was convicted of having sex out of wedlock by a Qatari court on Monday and given a one-year suspended sentence.
The woman, 22, was ordered to be deported to the Netherlands once the ruling was formalised, which is expected over the coming days, the ambassador to the Netherlands Yvette Burghgraef-van Eechoud told Al Jazeera at the courthouse.
The accused man in the case, identified as Omar Abdullah Al Hasan, was also convicted of having sex outside of marriage — a serious offence in this conservative Gulf state.
A court official, who spoke only on condition of anonymity, said that the man was from Syria.
Hasan will receive 100 lashes for illicit sex acts and another 40 lashes as punishment for public drunkenness, and will be deported.
Hasan and the Dutch citizen, identified as ‘Laura,’ were not present as the judge read out the verdicts.
The court official described the one-year suspended sentence as ‘lenient.’
“Had she been a Muslim woman, she would’ve received at least five years in jail. No one can get out of such charges here in Qatar,” he said.
Van Eechoud said the woman had asked her to convey the message to the media and the public to respect her privacy at this time.
“We’ll do everything we can to get her out of the country as soon as possible. Under the circumstances, Laura is doing fine,” she said.
Laura said she was drugged during a party in March at the Crystal Lounge nightclub at the W Doha Hotel, and woke up in an unfamiliar apartment when she realised she had been sexually assaulted.
She had been on holiday at the time, and reported the incident to Qatari police. She was arrested on March 14, and has been held ever since on charges of committing illicit sex acts.
Hasan has acknowledged having sex with the woman but said it had been consensual, according to Dutch media reports.
The Dutch embassy told Al Jazeera that officials have been in close contact with Laura and her family in the Netherlands of the past few months.
Courtesy: Aljazeera.com
Short and sweet...Punishment must be handed over by a person(or a group)who never committed any Sin in their life.Check luxurious Yacht(s) on late weeknights,search 2nd floor of Hotels...you will find lawmakers around...its a simple logic..YOU CAN NOT BACKLASH OF YOUR OWN BACKS....
Angel: I don't think that's true .. The problem lies with the embassies .. They don't stick up for their country men's rights because they need the foreign currency coming in
this country is only good for non asian country like britexpat because you get everything
I'm sure there's a little village in Syria which is quite safe
Syria is in chaos how will they deport him?
From a humanitarian point of view he shouldn't be deported to syria.
He's saying that Laura is an adult worker, and got off easy. She only has to pay 3000, and won one-way ticket home.
acchabaccha: Are we now suggesting that the alleged drugging and rape (date rape) is a side issue and she got off lightly because of her nationality and the press coverage
Passport speaks
I agree with mohdata that the lady got off lightly simply because simply because of her nationality. I came across several cases in S Arabia where westerners were spared the death penalty through a "Royal Pardon." The sword was meant for those from the poor, third world countries.
angel2268: You are unhappy due to what you term as favoritism being given to Muslims in Qatar. I can tell you of many instances in S Arabia and in Qatar where the Christians have formed a Mafia and do not allow Muslims to get jobs in these companies where they have set up their controls especially in their HR departments. I have personally been a victim. YOU know of this.
I wonder if the case actually decided if she was raped or it was consensual? Being clear on this matter is the only thing in that should be considered whether this was a crime or not.
britexpat, perhaps you want to approve my comment before replying lol. The short answer is, yes. They operate from abroad and trick guys here because of the high individual income.
onshaath: Are you seriously suggesting that there are Ladies of the Night present in Qatar :O(
We get a shock when we cross the limits ...........................
angel2268: Many on QL have complained of the opposite... The fact is that you don't know what caused the management to make such decisions..
I would think that after 48 years , you would be happy to put you feet up
britexpat this not about complaining from our section they gave 3person 1year extension and the other guy git 2years extension is this fare give every or dont give anyone because they are muslim they gave i know it is there country and they will support muslim only
Mohdata, agree with the first para.
We should actually spread the word and tell people "For your own safety, don't come to Qatar in 2022!"
I wonder what they will do in 2022 when a Ronaldo-type football player comes with his girl friend and stays in the Sheraton. For sure, the media will know it. Will they be deported? - And I wonder how they are going to control the fans coming in as unmarried couples. Will they all be deported? - That's going to be a very funny World Cup!
Mohdata: I must disagree with you slightly .. For me , the crux of the matter is the allegation that she was drugged and then raped ..
Anyway , the sentence has been passed and life will go on ..
The only reason I'm going to say the lady is probably a victim is because she approached the police... Having said that, I've been exposed to the party scene all over the world when i was younger... And while everyone that likes to party is entitled to have a good time without being raped or robbed, its fact that a dimly lit club and alcohol and drugs and enticing men/women are the ideal setting for things to go wrong... The woman probably befriended the guy in good faith and he let her down but for the cops, she ended up in an apartment away from the club and there's no way for them to prove what happened... The qatar police basically have no time for these scenes and i feel they've allowed these clubs and alcohol with the tacit understanding that the onus is on the revelers to be safe and within the law... They probably make harsh examples of these people to basically rid themselves of the headache and to let people know that when you go partying or meet strange men/women, you're on your own... Not just women; there have been cases of men being robbed after being lured by strange women... This guy got what he deserved for cheating on his wife and was probably in Qatar without her.. Many married men of all backgrounds have secret relationships here, while the wives are in the homeland...
Brit: Lashes are no joking matter, the person doling out the lashes usually has to take breaks because the convicts frequently faint from the pain... Considering this whole scene, i do agree the lady got off lightly due to her pro active embassy/ nationality and the guy got all he deserved... The religion clearly differentiates between adultery and fornication and the former is the much more serious offense... Never mind that the law doesn't really employ the strict Islamic guidelines in must cases... Jail and deportation is the most common and convenient recourse..
Wow that got long quickly... Sorry...
why does a MARRIED man go out to clubs and drug strangers?. He deserved much more than what he got
But then I ask you: why do you go there to meet female strangers? They are there and you know it. That's okay? Hypocrite.
Every woman who goes to a hotel, even for a spa, is with male strangers. This is not a crime. Or maybe it is according to your moral.
Just out of curiosity .. What is it like to be lashed ?
is it a stick, cane, whip
She is not a victim. First of all, what is she doing in a nightclub with male strangers? She should have avoided being drugged. She should have been careful. Second, the guy is receiving 140 lashes and being deported to war-torn country. Why are you complaining that there is no justice? This is the justice
You worked for 48 years and you're still complaining ?
the worst country no rule regulation i worked in qatar 48year in qatar in kharamaa 37years all muslim staff got 1year and some got 2years extension but for me the rejected because i am christian is this fare if you are giving extension give everyone or dont give anyone
I suppose this verdict was to be expected - especially given the media coverage and where the alleged rapist is from
It doesn't matter. One tip: if you want to be safe, don't come to Qatar. The justice system here is unpredictable.
Who can call "this" justice ??? The situation is outrageous for any human being ! The victim gets convicted: it's a scandal...