he widow of a journey government who died in mysterious circumstances in Qatar says she doesn’t imagine her husband took his personal life.
In her first TV interview, the spouse of Marc Bennett informed Channel 4 Information she disputed claims made by police in Qatar that he died by suicide, and described “torture” her husband allegedly confronted by the hands of authorities previous to his suspicious demise.
The Authorities of Qatar has vehemently denied the allegations of mistreatment, saying “all detainees are handled with respect and dignity”.
Mr Bennett had been headhunted to arrange Uncover Qatar forward of the Gulf state internet hosting this 12 months’s World Cup. However after he informed bosses he was leaving to work for a rival Saudi-owned firm, he was arrested and detained, accused of stealing confidential paperwork from his employers.
He was launched from custody after three weeks however was not allowed to depart the nation.
On Christmas Day 2019 – 10 weeks after he was launched – he was discovered hanged in an residence within the capital, Doha. A Qatar police report mentioned the reason for demise was suicide however a UK Coroner refused to file a conclusion of suicide, saying there was no proof Mr Bennett had supposed to take his personal life.
His widow Nancy has now informed Channel 4 Information presenter and Investigations Editor Cathy Newman: “Marc wouldn’t take his personal life. Everyone has mentioned that boy wouldn’t take his personal life.”
She informed how her husband had been imagined to attend a component on Christmas Eve, and had been to get a haircut.
“I’d all the time textual content Marc to say that I used to be up so I did that Christmas Eve within the morning, after which I didn’t get a response,” she recalled.
“So I phoned the International Workplace on Christmas Eve within the afternoon, simply to say that I used to be fearful. We did have Christmas Day however it wasn’t till Christmas evening that we came upon.
“The room didn’t make sense. He had his garments that he was going to put on to the social gathering – they have been laid out. He had clearly been washing, his health club equipment was on the airer.
“And it was simply the mattress – the mattress was, cowl turned again, truly a pillow folded as to how he would all the time have a pillow, with a ebook face down able to be picked up and skim once more.
“There was no word, nothing was left. There was a espresso cup, there was meals. It was actually as if there had been a knock on the door, you set your ebook down, you go and open the door, and you then would return to studying your ebook. I don’t know, I don’t know what occurred.
“As a result of he was all the time seeking to the long run. At all times. He had huge plans; he actually did have huge plans. He all the time had one thing to look ahead to sooner or later.”
Detailing the ordeal Marc skilled throughout his three-week detention previous to his demise, Ms Bennett mentioned: “He was handcuffed and blindfolded, after which put in a automobile and brought to a detention centre.
“He was subjected to psychological and bodily torture. It was very a lot primarily based on who had approached Marc from the Saudi firm – after they had met, the place did they meet, what number of instances have they met, what are you taking to them – and simply the identical questions.
“Not being allowed sleep, being in a freezing chilly room, air-con, simply, that psychological torture that he spoke to me about. And it was all primarily based across the Saudis, that questioning, which he had nothing, there was nothing to offer them.
“There was a degree the place Marc was within the interrogation room they usually have been telling him that he would by no means see his household once more.”
Requested about any bodily torture her husband might have endured, Ms Bennett mentioned: “I’ll be trustworthy with you, I block that out. I’ve been informed however I don’t need to sit right here speaking about it as a result of truly, I don’t know if I’ll get it 100% proper as a result of I don’t like that in my head.”
She mentioned her husband had been allowed to name her, however that his voice had been unrecognisable.
“I needed to ask who it was as a result of I didn’t recognise his voice,” she mentioned. “He was so hoarse. It was simply not Marc talking.”
The Authorities of Qatar informed Channel 4 Information: “The State of Qatar categorically denies allegations of mistreatment in its detention amenities, and it particularly denies the allegations made by Channel 4. All detainees are handled with respect and dignity in accordance with worldwide requirements.
“Qatar usually opens its detention amenities for inspection from impartial human rights observers and worldwide organisations. In 2019, Qatar invited a UN Working Group to examine its amenities, whereas in the identical 12 months, the Nationwide Human Rights Committee (NHRC) carried out 96 impartial subject visits to amenities throughout the nation.”
Qatar Airways informed Channel 4 Information that Mr Bennett was a “valued and widespread colleague”. They are saying they reported him to the authorities after discovering he had forwarded confidential emails to a personal e mail tackle with out authorisation. They insist they’d no position in his remedy after his arrest and that they ended correspondence with Ms Bennett after variations over whether or not monetary compensation was due.
Ms Bennett’s interview was featured on Channel 4 Information at 7pm on Thursday.
