Hundreds of discriminatory sex cases against women have been hushed up in Qatar ahead of the World Cup, it is claimed.
Human Rights Watch believes authorities suppressed coverage to improve its image.
Severe “zina” laws classify sex and pregnancy outside of marriage as a crime. Along with adultery, they are punishable by floggings and up to seven years in jail. Even rape victims can face prosecution if a suspect claims sex was consensual.
Human Rights Watch recorded 100 zina convictions a year before 2012, but coverage stopped following global criticism.
It has learned of convictions from last year and fears many more have been punished since Qatar won its World Cup bid in 2010.
Rothna Begum, the charity’s women’s rights researcher, said: “Prosecuting consensual relations and sentencing people to floggings looks bad and breaches international standards.
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“Just because reporting stopped, it doesn’t mean cases stopped. I met women who reported rape and had been prosecuted for zina.
“Human Rights Watch believes there could be hundreds of cases.”
Some 173,000 female migrant domestic workers in Qatar are “disproportionately” affected by zina laws, the charity says.
It highlighted a case where a maid was raped by a man who broke into her quarters. He told police sex was consensual and the woman was prosecuted for zina.
Ms Begum warned that female fans and migrant workers travelling to the World Cup face being discriminated against.
Baroness Prosser, vice-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Women, Peace and Security, said: “It’s shameful. Anybody with an ounce of sense and knowledge about how women are treated in Qatar knew it was not a good choice to host the World Cup.”
The claims came amid concern for worker rights in Qatar – and a week after the Mirror told how Nepalese migrant Sanjib Raya, 28, died of heart failure while working long days for £1 an hour.
A Qatari official rejected the charity’s claims, said “major strides” have been made to safeguard domestic workers and added: “Women visiting Qatar during the World Cup will be warmly welcomed to one of the safest countries in the world.”
