A female official of the World Cup is facing 100 lashes and seven years in jail for ‘extramarital sex’ after she reported being raped while working in Qatar. Paola Schietekat, 28, originally from Mexico, was working for the World Cup organizing committee when she reported being raped by a colleague who broke into her apartment and threatened her.
Schietekat reported the attack to Qatari authorities, who accused her of having an affair and charged her with ‘extramarital sex’, as it is illegal in Qatar. She was advised that marrying her attacker could help her avoid conviction but she chose to leave the country, abandoning her job. The charges against her, a behavioral economist, remain valid, and she is expected to be sentenced in absentia on March 6.
She explained that her alleged attacker gained access to her apartment in Doha due to unlocked doors, and after being assaulted, she documented the incident and reported it to the Qatari police with the help of the Mexican consul. However, the authorities turned the case against her, asking for evidence of intimacy and even requesting a virginity test. Her alleged attacker was acquitted of assault, and she was warned that marriage was the only way to avoid a conviction.
Choosing to flee the country, she criticized the prioritization of protecting the attacker over the victim in Qatar, also highlighting ongoing human rights abuses in Gulf states. Criticizing the international community’s stance, she highlighted the need for a firm stance against such laws. She also accused the Mexican foreign ministry of not adequately protecting its citizens in Qatar, particularly against gender-based violence.
After publicizing her story, Schietekat met with Mexico’s Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, who announced that the state would provide her with legal representation to ensure her rights as a Mexican citizen are respected.
As the World Cup approaches, Qatar has faced scandals, including reports of thousands of migrant workers dying in the country since it was awarded the tournament in 2010.