Dutch woman arrested in Qatar escapes lashing, prison sentence; to be deported

Utrecht woman Laura de Bije, who was arrested in Doha in March after reporting being raped, will soon be deported from Qatar. A court in the Middle Eastern country sentenced her to one year of probation for having sex outside marriage, RTL Nieuws reports. According to the broadcaster, Laura was not in court in Doha to hear the verdict. She was also fined 3,000 real, or about 750 euros. Having sex outside marriage, or "zina" as it is known under Islamic law, is a very serious offense in the strict Islamic country. The man Laura accused of raping her was sentenced to 100 lashes for "sexual intercourse" and another 40 lashes for alcohol consumption.