Qatar Court Convicts Dutch Rape Survivor of Adultery

Twenty two year old Laura was holidaying in Doha when she was raped. She was later convicted for adultery.

Twenty two year old Laura has been fined 3,000 riyals, after she has been raped. (Photo: iStockphoto)

• On Monday, a Doha court convicted a Dutch woman of adultery, handed her a one year suspended sentence and fined her 3,000 Qatari riyals (800 USD) after she reported being raped, while on a holiday in Qatar. Laura has been held in custody since March 14 and will be deported once she pays the fine.
  
  
• Laura has denied the charge against her. The Dutch ambassador to Qatar, Yvette Burghgraef-van Eechoud, told reporters that the embassy would help Laura leave the country within the next few days.
  
  
• The male defendent, a Syrian named Omar Abdullah al-Hasan, will not serve any time in jail. He has been sentenced to 100 lashes for illicit sex and 40 lashes for consuming alcohol and will be deported once he has been punished.
  

(With inputs from AFP).