Five Australian women who say they were pulled from a Qatar Airways flight by armed guards and strip-searched, have won the right to sue the airline, after a court on Thursday overturned an earlier decision to dismiss the case.
Women on 10 Qatar Airways flights, including 13 Australians, were subjected to invasive examinations to determine if they had recently given birth. It's after a newborn baby was found abandoned at Doha’s Hamad Airport in October 2020.
The incident drew global headlines, sparked outrage in Australia and strained diplomatic ties with Qatar.
A group of five women on a Sydney-bound flight launched legal action in 2022 against Qatar Airways, Doha Airport operator MATAR, and Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority. They brought claims under the Montreal Convention, which covers airline liability, as well as negligence, assault and false imprisonment.
The women sought damages for the impact on their mental health, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, stemming from the "unlawful physical contact".
After being escorted off their flight by armed Qatari authorities, some women said they were forced to remove their underwear and subjected to non-consensual gynaecological inspections by a nurse in ambulances on the tarmac.
Federal Court Justice John Halley dismissed the claims against Qatar Airways last year, ruling they had no reasonable prospect of success and that Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority was immune from Australian law.
On Thursday, the full Federal Court overturned the ruling against Qatar Airways, saying the issue was too complex to be summarily dismissed.
“Whether or not the claims come within the scope of (the Montreal Convention) is a matter of some complexity,” the summary judgment said.
“It is therefore not an issue apt to be decided at the stage of summary dismissal.”
The decision allows the women to continue their lawsuit against Qatar Airways and MATAR. Both companies were ordered to pay the costs of the appeal.
“Our clients endured a traumatic experience on that night in Doha, and they deserve to have their day in court and compensation for their suffering,” said Damian Sturzaker, a lawyer from Marque Lawyers representing the women.
“We will continue to support them as the case continues in the Federal Court.”
Cameroon concluded a weeklong training programme on Saturday for indigenous communities in artificial intelligence (AI), as part of activities marking...
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke on 9 August, praising regional peace steps, new gas exports to Sy...
More than 1,000 aid packages have been airdropped over the Gaza Strip since the resumption of the international airdrop operation on 26 July, the Isra...
World leaders and international organisations have hailed the U.S.-brokered peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia as a historic breakthrough,...
Afghan authorities have begun building a 50 million afghani canal in Panjshir province to improve irrigation, support farmers, and create 1,000 jobs, ...
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke on 9 August, praising regional peace steps, new gas exports to Syria, and deepening bilateral ties.
More than 1,000 aid packages have been airdropped over the Gaza Strip since the resumption of the international airdrop operation on 26 July, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Friday.
World leaders and international organisations have hailed the U.S.-brokered peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia as a historic breakthrough, marking a decisive step toward stability and cooperation in the South Caucasus.
Afghan authorities have begun building a 50 million afghani canal in Panjshir province to improve irrigation, support farmers, and create 1,000 jobs, according to Tolonews.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
A resumption of Iraq’s Kurdish oil exports is not expected in the near term, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, despite an announcement by Iraq’s federal government a day earlier stating that shipments would resume immediately.
Chinese automaker Chery has denied an industry-ministry audit that disqualified more than $53 million in state incentives for thousands of its electric and hybrid vehicles, insisting it followed official guidance and committed no fraud.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke on 9 August, praising regional peace steps, new gas exports to Syria, and deepening bilateral ties.
More than 1,000 aid packages have been airdropped over the Gaza Strip since the resumption of the international airdrop operation on 26 July, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Friday.
Kazakhstan has started construction of its first nuclear power plant near Ulken village, with completion expected in 2035-2036.
The European Union warmly welcomes the meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump, European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a joint statement
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev gave an interview to a select group of Azerbaijani journalists in Washington on August 8, including our correspondent Oubai Shahbandar.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment