FIFA World Cup 2022: Qatar drops 'criminal' proceedings against stadium worker

A Qatar court has ended proceedings against a Mexican World Cup worker who was charged with unmarried sex after reporting an assault, the Mexican government and other sources said Monday.

Paola Schietekat, 28, had faced a possible punishment of 100 lashes and seven years in jail, in a case which rights groups say has raised fears for women attending the tournament that starts on 21 November.

Schietekat, who fled the country, was charged with sex outside wedlock — a crime in Qatar — after reporting an assault against her.

On Sunday a judge decided "to terminate criminal proceedings" against her, after several hearings, the Mexican government said in a statement.

It was confirmed by other sources, who said however that the case has been sent back to prosecutors who could pursue other charges against Schietekat.

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Human Rights Watch welcomed the decision to end the proceedings against her but urged Qatar not to press further charges.

"The authorities must ensure that no charges are pressed and the case against her is fully closed," said HRW women's rights specialist Rothna Begum.

She also called on Qatar to decriminalise sex outside marriage, give more help to women who report assaults and give gender training to police and judges.

Schietekat's case was "scary" because "it means that any fan or worker in the country for the World Cup can be prosecuted in a similar way just for reporting an offence", Begum said.

There were no immediate comments from authorities in Qatar.

Schietekat, who still works for Qatar's World Cup organising committee from her home in Mexico, was attacked in her room in Doha in June last year.

She reported the assault to police but the accused — who left Qatar without permission — told investigators he was in a relationship with Schietekat and authorities pressed charges against her for having an illicit relationship outside marriage.

Schietekat flew out of Qatar five days later and has since been fighting the case with the help of rights groups and the organising committee.

The Mexican government said that because of the "cultural" and "legal" differences between Qatar and other countries, it was now working on a "preventive protection strategy" for fans planning to go to the World Cup.

Qatar, which has said it expects 1.5 million visitors over the four weeks of the World Cup, has faced criticism over rights for foreign labourers, women and its ban on homosexuals. It says many of the attacks are unfair.

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