Updated on Dec. 1 with statement from US Secretary of State
With reporting from Riham Sheble
An American couple acquitted earlier today on charges related to the death of their daughter have been blocked from leaving Qatar, according to a family spokesperson.
This morning, Qatar’s Court of Appeal dismissed a lower court’s conviction of Grace and Matthew Huang on charges of failing to care for their daughter, Gloria, who died suddenly in January 2013.
The couple went to Hamad International Airport early this afternoon to catch one of the first available flights out of the country, according to Eric Volz, managing director of David House Agency, which is handling the couple’s public relations.
He said the Huangs were greeted outside the terminal by American ambassador Dana Shell Smith, but ran into trouble when they approached an immigration counter.
At that time, their passports were apparently confiscated, Volz said. It is not clear why this happened, but the Huangs have been under a travel ban from leaving the country for nearly two years.
Bureaucracy
It is uncommon for such travel bans to be lifted so soon after a court verdict, according to a legal source who spoke to Doha News.
Clearing the ban typically involves filing an application that contains a copy of the written judgment with the attorney-general’s office.
The source said it is unlikely a copy of the Huang’s judgment currently exists, as the judge only delivered an oral summary this morning and suggested that the full version runs some 20 pages.
He added, however, that it was possible the attorney general took the initiative to lift the travel ban himself, and said a representative from his office attending this morning’s hearing.
According to Volz, an immigration officer at the airport said a warrant for the Huangs’ arrest had been issued.
He said the arrest warrant was new and unrelated to the travel ban.
The charges contained in the arrest warrant are not known. Volz said they were told that the arrest warrant was issued by the public prosecutor’s office.
As of approximately 7pm, the Huangs were still sitting in the airport’s immigration department with the US ambassador, according to Volz.
He said they are receiving different information from different sources and are unsure what will happen next.
“(The Huangs) are scared they are going back to jail,” he said.
A spokesperson for the US embassy confirmed to Doha News that the ambassador was still at the airport and that they were waiting for guidance from the US State Department.
Last night, US Secretary of State issued a statement expressing concern about the fact that the Huangs could not leave Qatar. John Kerry said:
“I welcome the decision of the Qatari Court of Appeals to overturn the conviction of Matthew and Grace Huang. The thoroughly documented findings of the court clearly establish the Huang’s innocence.
The 22 long months of court proceedings following their daughter’s tragic death have compounded the tragedy for the Huang family, and it is time now, as the Appeals Court stated, to let the Huangs return home. We are deeply concerned about new delays that have prevented their departure. I spoke with Qatari Foreign Minister Attiya today and called on the government to immediately implement the court’s decision and permit their return to the United States without further delay.”
Also last night, the couple said that their attempts to leave the same day they were cleared were ultimately unsuccessful.
However, it appears no arrest warrant was actually issued agains the Huangs, as they were allowed to leave the airport.
On Facebook, the David House Agency posted last night:
“We just left the airport after waiting 10 hours in immigration station. We’ve been told we cannot leave the country and the U.S. government has no answers as to why. We now sit waiting for the Qatar government to make the next move.”
Criminal trial
The Huangs were arrested in early 2013 following the death of their eight-year-old daughter, Gloria. The young girl had been adopted from Ghana and suffered from an eating disorder that would cause her to binge on food, and then refuse to eat for several days.
During the couple’s criminal trial, the court heard that Gloria had not eaten for four days prior to her death. The prosecutor argued that the parents should be found guilty of “murder by abstention” for not taking her to the doctor.
Matthew Huang previously offered his own explanation in a video appeal to supporters:
“We did not take Gloria to the hospital when she was refusing to eat because we believed she would come out of these hunger strikes as she had done before. She was lively and active and there was no reason to suspect any concern for her health.”
During the trial, the Huangs and their supporters accused the prosecutor and medical examiner of relying on a “fraudulent” pathology report, and deceiving the judge hearing their case.
However, a judge in March convicted the couple of failing to provide the necessary care for Gloria and sentenced the Huangs to three years in prison.
They appealed that decision, which led to today’s ruling.
Thoughts?
Different information from different sources? Can’t imagine. Looks like A-Qtr proved to be prophetic though….
Lol told you guys they wouldn’t leave … You thought I was kidding… Unpaid parking fines… Outstanding ooredoo phone bill… A claim by a bank .. Anything… The immigration officer knows no difference and probably couldn’t care less about the haungs …
Most likely it’s just paper work filing… They need the travel ban to be removed meaning they need to file the court verdict… Once published it’ll have to go to immigrations … They actually thought they’d leave that soon!!!
but what about the new warrant for arrest?
I’d normally respond but not to 100% d!cks like u
WTF. So I ask an honest question and that’s the response? OK you proved your intelligence.
He didn’t prove his intelligence. You are a rather unpleasant presence. To me, at least.
The information I have is that there’s no new arrest warrant. It’s just the paper work for their acquittal hasn’t made its way from the courts to immigration.
The information in the story says there is. I’m just asking if there is any news to confirm that. Get your panties out of a wad.
Did you read the article?
“According to Volz, an immigration officer at the airport said a warrant for the Huangs’ arrest had been issued.
He said the arrest warrant was new and unrelated to the travel ban.
The charges contained in the arrest warrant are not known. Volz said they were told that the arrest warrant was issued by the public prosecutor’s office.”
What’s he’s saying is yes Dohanews is reporting it but that doesn’t make it true. You are referring to what an online news site is citing from a PR representative who is citing what he heard an immigration officer say
If there is no arrest warrant is there some good reason why they are still stuck here?
No exit permit. Doesn’t matter if there is a court case/arrest warrant or not, the exit permit is completely independent and at the discretion of the former employer. This is the big problem with giving governmental level authority to private individuals.
And there is some good reason for no exit permit? Took me five minutes last time I got one.
Unfortunately the system likes to punish people beyond their acquittals.
I’m not 100% sure what is going on… But I know if a court clears you from a case there are several days of paper work requires till everything is in order and back to normal
Im quite aware of the process. Nothing is automated. Nothing is made easy. The Huangs will have a lot of running around to do to get all the required paper work completed. The people responsible for completing it will be in no rush. The system is in dire need of change.
I wonder what is now happening with the falsified post mortem report. Who will be held responsible? Im guessing no one.
Common sense and compassion is seriously lacking in this case.
Maybe, maybe not. Read the book by the Lebanese guy who was stuck in Qatar for over a year after a court cleared him on any wrongdoing. His sponsor still wouldn’t issue an entry permit, and the government was unwilling to override.
Sorry I’ll choose not to take a Lebanese word for anything
Stereotype much? Presumably then you are okay with the perception of Qataris as arrogant, lazy and corrupt? If not, then don’t judge the book by the nationality of its author.
I agree were a very lazy and arrogant bunch but I don’t agree on corrupt …
Hmmm, interesting reply. Why the dissent on corrupt?
But corruption happens a lot when people are lazy, arrogant and rich. Being rich, lazy and dumb makes people use their money to get anything they want. This is what make them bribe their way to get things rather than work hard for them. They end up bribing, but calling it gifts.
he could not read that book because it would be banned here…..
The Glass Palace, that’s the name of the book. Available on Amazon.
So why go to the airport? A PR firm, legal consultants / lawyers and the ambassador surely out of that group there would have been some knowledge about following due process after an acquittal and what the next steps would be? Why rush straight to the airport.
Wouldn’t you???
I think the logical thing to do would be to go directly to get a copy of the judgement then directly somewhere to ensure the travel ban has been removed with 5 copies of every document available
Fair call. Make sure you get them stamped by everyone who looks at them along the way too..very important in Qatar, stamps and all.
…and still expect to get stopped. But then that would be recommended anywhere after a court case, to make sure any restrictions have been dropped and the judgement processed
Why go straight to the airport? Probably their PR firm wanted to keep them in the news a little longer by using this as just another example of the struggles they continue to face thereby making sure they are painted as the victims so that upon arrival in the US some good Samaritan will offer them employment, etc, etc.
an interesting theory for sure. It will be interesting to see what happens when they get back to the states, if they slip quietly back into life
LOL???? How cruel, but typical of a local. What about your Belgium Ambassador convicted of murdering children, is he LOL???
You mean the guy who locked the kids up inside a room overnight and left them four days with no food and no medical attention? Or the guy who forged licensing document to call a play pin a nursery and skipped out on placing an emergency exit where children perished due an electric fire in Nike shop
He is typical racist trash from a place known for its hate of non-whites. Pay him no mind.
Australia ? Don’t hate me but I’m just very curious
Mashalla 3laik, u got it! Lol
Yes he got it…we lock up child murderers you send them to Europe…..hmmm…
This sort of behaviour may be normal where you’re from, but in most civil places it would be viewed with disgust.
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2014/oct/12/mans-racist-attack-brisbane-train-caught-video
Egypt was my first thought, but that works too.
Yep. And I fully support this, I have supported the building of Mosque in my home town (Bendigo)…watch this and wake up, we treat people with respect, you treat people as slaves big difference…just watch…Would never see any Qatari go to the aid of a Maid being abused by another Qatari like my Australian brothers and sister did here….
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=you+tube+video+australains+standing+up+for+muslims&FORM=VIRE2#view=detail&mid=45EEB12A08BE2531AC8345EEB12A08BE2531AC83
Hmm ..racist trash??? Take a look in the mirror and all around you, maids, drivers, etc etc etc…Maids being raped and then locked up for having children…the list goes on, but given your PISA scores I doubt there are many with enough nouse to ever get it…
Blah blah blah…whatever descendent of rapists and murderers, go abuse and steal more from some aboriginals, whoops I forgot you already have and continue to do so.
It seems anyone who points out your arrogance, ignorance and barbaric behavior is trash…You people…hmmmm, it would be fun to live and watch how you will end up.
Yes, racist trash who make blanket generalizations, it is fun to know that in most developed cities such trash would not find jobs, and it is sad to know Qatar takes such bums with open arms…
Well you said it, you gotta be worse than trash to accept trash. The way I see it, people who work in Qatar are not good enough to work anywhere else in that region. Now if these people take your job as a local, then my friend you need to repect the trash becauae it seems they are miles away from you as a person 🙂
…keep it up and don’t give up, one day people will reffer to you as a normal person…
Hmmm , The Huangs have been acquitted the Qatari murderers have been convicted…so your point pal???? Do you really defend people who have contributed to the burning to death of children? Yes? That’s what you are implying? What if they were Qatari kids…Oh wouldn’t matter they die in there hundreds from car accidents and you people still do nothing. Your kind have no respect or compassion for the sanctity of children…. it clear by the year by year deaths on your roads of children, your comments above…
Did you know that there’s a difference between murder and manslaughter?
yes Homicide Squad Detective for many years pal. Do you know the difference between labour and slavery? Freedom and oppression? Right and wrong? Moral and immoral? Human rights and human abuse? Lastly are you defending the government assited escape of convicted child killers and the denying of justice to the parents of those poor children? Seems to me you are by wanting to argue about manslaughter and murder (difference is malice aforethought by the way, look it up and learn) instead of taking affirmative action to get your countryman face justice? In Australia we would have had the convicted killer already arrested on a warrant and extradited back and in jail…but in Qatar, because he is Qatari he can go about his business in Belgium as he pleases…justice for the children and parents? No of course not they were ‘just’ expats…..wake up to yourself and think about the poor children and parents before trying to argue and defend the killer of children…Or will calling for justice and the extradition of the said killer cause you to lose favour and money from the regime? Morals and justice or money , your call pal.
You know, yet you keep calling it murder.
You judge people too quickly.
From recent articles I get the feeling that Doha News is less than careful about how it phrases it’s reports, and seemingly oblivious to the questions and conflicts the articles raise. The pinch of salt is slowly increasing in size.
You don’t say… People take Dohanews as a factual source for information … The above is an example of many… The article says a for hire PR rep says that an unnamed immigration officer said that the there is a warrant which is independent from why they can’t travel!!!
I see a Bravo special or a short film on the hallmark Channel on this story… I see a blacked out land cruiser pulling up to the haungs with half a dozen Mexicans playing Arabs jumping out with AK 47s and taking them in for questioning … While they try to shield the other two adopted kids who are crying in the background…
The ending will be a cliff hanger like the Ben afflick Iran hostages movie… Where the mexican playing an Arab immigration officer flips the pages… Then picks up an 1980s land line phone and shakes his head… Places the stamp down and looks at them and says some jiberish that sounds Arabic… All of a sudden Sandra bullock who plays us ambassador Dana shell steps in and starts using her Arabic jiberish… And they argue in jiberish…
When they land in the states it’s a private us state dept jet in some Virginia hanger and the grandma and two kids run to their parents while they hug them… And theres media frenzy outside …
Honestly I’d write a book on this … At least make a money from the whole ordeal
A book is really not a bad idea since they’ll probably never get a single riyal from any part of the court system or the forensic pathologist that leaned on a fabricated autopsy to steal nearly two years of their lives from them and their remaining two children. How much would you pay to add two years to your life? Will there be any process to hold that examiner accountable?
Fabricated autopsy ? How did you come to the assumption ?
From your posts it seems like you are having a wonderfully joyous time making light of the story. No problem, that’s your prerogative, but it seems a bit insensitive considering this family lost nearly two years of their lives due to the Qatari autopsy report and “assumptions” due to cultural differences made by the prosecution team. Regarding the fabricated autopsy, it sounds like this notion of fabrication played heavily into the appeal decision (from the previous DN article):
“The judge referred to the US doctor’s report as factoring into his decision, and mentioned that were contradictions and discrepancies in the testimony of the forensic examiner, his initial report as well as Gloria’s death certificate.”
No I’m not, I’m just a very scientific and factual person who gets emotional when I sniff BS! You’re the one who is taking light of a situation and accusing a fabrication of evidence submitted to the courts. You source one Dohanews post where the judge had highlighted a discrepancy in the forensic examiner testimony and his initial report and you immediately say that it was fabricated? And as such needs to be held accountable for intentionally falsifying court documents which has been used as evidence. And you say I’m taking light of the situation.
Let’s not forget the lower court verdict didn’t not relay on the forensic examiner testimony or the fact they’re Asian and they’re adopted children are African, as much as it was their admission that they’re girl had not eaten for four full days and they did not seek medical attention and the fact they locked the girl up in her room overnight.
Let’s not be selective of facts and then “fabric” facts to our emotional whims.
You spend a lot of time on DN discussion boards for someone that thinks it’s a trash news site. Regarding sniffing BS, your BS meter isn’t off the scale when a second examiner states that tissue samples were never removed, which is what would have needed to happen for the first autopsy to happen? Someone is obviously lying somewhere in that whole process.
Also, can you please enlighten the audience with your source to a transcript of the judge and what factored into his decision since obviously you don’t trust DN’s reporting?
Trust me, I find nothing “light” about this situation. Please tell me how I’m taking it lightly.
It looks like it comes down to believing one forensic examination or another. I know which one I’d believe.
And we know which one the judge believed, and at the end of the day that’s all that matters.
Unless of course the judge has zero actual authority.
You said LOL when they got stopped at the airport !!!!!!! Then you make light of it with a story book post of a movie, when a child has died, people have been detained against the Charter of Human Rights……Great bloke you are, but in my experience typical of your kind…
Boy your Australian colors are blazing this afternoon
This is just their way of greeting you, the colors blaze when he steals land of natives and deny them the right to a decent living…because they kill them.
Indeed the judge threw out the original prosecution largely on the basis that if the original forensic report was unreliable, which it was shown to be, then the rest of the case had no basis.
Why did the prosecutors think they could get away with using a fake autopsy? Why didn’t they just do their job?
We’ve taken great pains in reporting this story – and explained what happened with far more nuance than other news outlets. The part about the arrest warrant is what the PR guy said last night, during a very confusing time. We will of course update the story as more info comes in.
Well I am sure Shabina does not want to end up in court with an indefinite travel bans so is very careful in reporting. She knows how badly things can wrong here even if innocent. I can’t say I blame her.
No one can express their true views in Qatar as it is an oppressive regime with new oppressive ‘media laws’….
If that was my primary concern, I wouldn’t be doing this job. Our aim has and always will be to keep this community updated with what’s going on, as accurately and quickly as possible.
If I were the Huangs, I would go on a hunger strike until they let me leave.
After their adopted daughter possibly died of starvation and her adopted father characterised her habit as a “hunger strike” might 1. Be in poor taste 2. Display a message to the courts of instability, or of association with using hunger as a punishment or protest or tool to manipulate a certain outcome…
If you are the Qatari ambassador to Belgium you can be convicted in a Qatari court but still leave the country immediately. If you are acquired by a Qatari court you are still denied ‘permission’ to leave.
I wonder what’s the difference between the two are?
What makes matters worse, the Belgian foreign ministry must be aware of this and does nothing about it.
In what might be completely unrelated news, the Qatar News Agency yesterday reported:
Doha, December 01 (QNA) – HE the Foreign Minister Dr. Khalid bin Mohamed Al-Attiyah met here Monday with Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Qatar Christophe Payot.
During the meeting they reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to support and develop them, in addition to discussing a number of topics of mutual interest. (QNA)
You make it seem like Qatar is to be judged on the assumption that it is a fair country. The Qatari, whose negligence killed 12 infants is from the Al-Thani tribe. His last name gives him a right to kill yet stay free. He is not like the rest of us normal people. Al-Thanis are first class citizens, followed by other local citizens, Americans and Europeans, Regular Arabs and then the slaves.
This is why you do not want to be a slave in Qatar 🙂
I know they want to leave but there is still paperwork on leaving and that will need to be processed,so think about 2-3 days minimum.However going to the airport and having the US Ambassador wait with you may be a speed up tactic. They will need a bank clearance too,so hopefully that has been done.
In other news a footballer has been arrested for kicking a ball. FIFA are not greatly concerned but are to form an investigative committee to release a report that is generally positive.
Simple solution: Take them to the US base and put them on a transport out. Remind Qatar where it stands in the grand scheme of things.
If that was an option and Qatar was truly small in the grand scheme of things, don’t you think they would have already done that years ago?
No, I think they were right to let the legal system take its course. Nations need to respect each other’s laws. But now that they’ve been acquitted in court, it’s time to let them go, and if the US has to throw its weight around to make that happen, it should.
File the paper work to remove the travel ban like everyone else and go.. What’s the issue
Like everyone else? Surely you jest. You know as well as I do that the law is not applied equally in Qatar, and that had this been a Qatari couple trying to leave they’d be sipping juice somewhere over the Mediterranean by now.
There is not one law on travel bans. The judge decides in the case of a member of a ruling family and a daughter of the minister with kids in Doha, the likelihood of them fleeing Doha and living in exile is less likely than two US citizens who if they make it to US soil will never be able to be extradited back to Qatar.
Not all Qatari’s are equal here as you might think. I know of a Qatari student who had a travel ban imposed on him by his father and was stopped at the airport before starting his college. The mother and father were separated and the father hadn’t even been involved in their lives for 3-4 years. Yet, the mother had to struggle for over a week to get the travel ban removed.
Well, to be frank, Qatar is a convenience, not a necessity. There is a good symbiotic relationship- the US implicitly defends Qatar, Qatar gives basing privileges lost in Saudi. There is no great affinity for Qatar’s system, no cultural similarities, and distrust of Qatar’s approach to IR; there is just a convenient meeting of needs.
Totally agree with you. However what’s the grand scheme of things for you?
Race issues in America? Immigration and minority integration in Europe? Sino-pacific relations? Middle East peace process?
American withdrawal around the globe, increased role of China in the region – those are my big interests. Qatar’s attempt to put itself in the world’s consciousness as a defense strategy is small beer to me.
A typical American attitude, thinking that they can do what they want where they want regardless of other countries laws. Unfortuntaley you are not the only one. It is people like you who have authorized the killing of scores of innocent people in this part of the world for the last 20 years.
I assure you “people like me” have not authorized any killings, any more than “people like you” are posting beheading videos online each day.
Yeah, that was my first thought. In fact I’m surprised they didn’t do exactly that.
A whole lot harder than you might think. I am aware of one case in Kuwait where US aircrew, of their own volition, smuggle an abused maid onto their plane and flew her out of Kuwait. Was just a bit of a career limiting move for them and led to lots of nasty recriminations back and forth.
But hopefully in this case it would sanctioned by the U.S. ambassador, with permission from the base commander, instead of just military members “of their own volition.”
I wish that the ambassador would do this. She would probably be declared persona non grata by the Qatari government, but would be a hero to America for standing up for its citizens’ rights.
Hopefully then the State Department would promote her and/or send her to her next ambassadorial assignment forthwith with a commendation for doing exactly the right thing. Of course I wouldn’t expect this from American bureaucracy, especially under feckless Democrat leadership.
You shouldn’t expect this under any government anywhere, regardless of its ideological bent. Despite what the movies would have use believe, governments don’t easily seek out diplomatic tussles, and violating the spirit or letter of the US-Qatar SOFA would not be done lightly.
Certainly true. But it’s fun to fantasize.
What? After all the publicity, the trial, the sentence, the prison term…. the courts overturned the decision (not going to argue the right or wrong of that) and these people and their legal team, and the US embassy staff, simply walked out of the court and straight to the airport, without first getting something (or someone) from the court to advise immigration they could let them go? And they fondly imagined they would be able to get on a plane?
Sorry…. not buying that. I don’t even buy a ticket without checking my traffic violations first. After all they had been through, you’d think they would have learned to make sure ALL the “I’s” were dotted and “T’s” crossed before they got in a taxi.
I didn’t follow this case that closely as it seemed it will drag on forever…Is it true that the girl didn’t eat anything for 4 days? I’m not questioning the decisions or trying to share an opinion just trying to understand if this statement is true.
Yes with no medical attention And locked in her room so that she won’t go through the garbage for food
Since you seem to be picking on DN for their sources regarding this story, can you provide one for this statement?
To boil it down – no, that’s not true:
*****
The appeals court ruled the couple were not guilty and said they were free to leave Qatar, based on witness accounts that Gloria was “not neglected in leading a normal life”.
The witnesses had testified that they saw Gloria eating one day before her death, according to the presiding judge.
“This negates the charge that she was prevented from eating, a charge that the court of first instance used as a base for its initial ruling,” the judge said.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/11/qatar-court-acquits-american-couple-2014113073620247150.html
*****
It’s turned out that a lot of what people think they know, was in fact a bunch of lies, owing to a fraudulent, non-existent pathology tests that were never even carried out. Because of this, the appeals judge had no choice but to throw away the original judge’s conviction.
I was in court the day the witnesses testified about Gloria. They spoke in English. I recall them saying she was happy and playing the day before she died. There wasn’t talk of eating. The judge may have misspoke. The couple did tell the police that she hadn’t eaten in four days. But in context, their defense also told us she had refused food for seven days before, due to her eating disorder.
Chances this will end up as Hollywood movie…
Let the Huangs go home and forever be punished by their conscience for the rest of their lives. The Qatari authorities should focused more on the abuses being suffered by laborers on the hands of their greedy employers. I don’t understand why the locals are more interested in going after the Huangs than those greedy employers who underpaid, underfed their laborers.