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DOHA. — A Doha court yesterday convicted a Dutch woman of adultery and handed her a one-year suspended sentence after she reported being raped while on holiday in Qatar.

The 22-year-old woman, known only as Laura and who was not in court, was also fined 3 000 Qatari riyals ($800/710 euros) and will be deported once she pays the fine, court officials said.

She had denied the charge against her.

The male defendant, said by a court official to be Syrian and named as Omar Abdullah al-Hasan, was sentenced to 100 lashes for the illicit sex and 40 lashes for consuming alcohol.

Hasan, who was also not in court, will undergo a medical examination to see if he is fit enough to withstand his punishment.

He will not serve any time in jail but will also be deported once he has been punished. The Dutch ambassador to Qatar Yvette Burghgraef-van Eechoud, who was present in a packed courtroom, told reporters the embassy would help Laura leave Qatar.

“We will do everything to get her out of the country as soon as possible to where she wants to go,” said Eechoud.

The envoy added that she expected Laura to leave Qatar, which will host the football World Cup in 2022, within the next few days. — AFP.