A British national has claimed he was jailed and deported from Qatar after raising concerns about his wife’s alleged sexual harassment at a luxury hotel in Doha. The incident dates back to June 2025, when Craig Barratt and his wife Sarah were in the capital Doha on their honeymoon after getting married in New York, The Telegraph reported. The couple were staying at the Ritz-Carlton Doha when the alleged incident occurred.
During Craig’s work trip to Riyadh, Sarah was approached by two men at the hotel pool and asked to take photographs. Eventually, one of the men began talking to her, asking for her room number and making explicit remarks that she perceived as threats of sexual assault. Disturbed by the encounter, she immediately contacted her husband.
Craig reported the matter to the hotel authorities and requested that the staff only communicate with him instead of contacting his wife directly. According to his statement, the hotel acknowledged the complaint, referred to CCTV footage and assured the couple that the individuals concerned had been removed. The hotel’s general manager, Carlo Javakhia, also apologized to Sarah for her “inappropriate behavior”.
Despite these assurances, the same men were reportedly seen on the property again two days later. Fearing for their safety, the couple decided to check out of the hotel early.
Escalation and online reviews
Unsatisfied with what he described as the hotel’s inconsistent responses, Craig later confronted management and escalated the matter to Marriott’s senior management via WhatsApp. He also shared a critical review on TripAdvisor, warning that the hotel was not “unsafe for women”.
“Not safe for western women. Local predators can harass guests with impunity. Security staff are instructed not to interfere and hotel management conspires with the police to allow men to treat women as they please. Such a terrible and appalling disgrace to an otherwise great hotel,” read the review, which was removed within days.
A case of defamation and condemnation
After a review and his private messages, the hotel filed a criminal complaint against Craig for defamation under Qatar’s cybercrime laws. He was convicted in absentia in February 2025, given one week in prison, a QAR 20,000 (approximately £4,000) fine and a deportation order.
Legal battle and detention
Craig and Sarah sought legal remedies through the Qatari courts, first to the Court of Appeal and later to the Court of Cassation. Despite the ongoing court case, Craig continued to travel to Qatar for work with official permission.
However, the situation escalated when he was detained by the authorities, placed in a vehicle and taken to an undisclosed location in Doha. He was first held in a small, cold enclosure with about 15 other men before being taken in handcuffs to a detention facility where he spent the next three nights. During this period, his wife, legal representative and officials from the British Embassy were unable to trace his whereabouts.
Deportation and travel ban
Craig was finally found on the fourth day after British consular staff gained access to him. He was deported later that day and banned from entering Qatar for five years.
