Journalist Challenges Decency Laws

PR Log (Press Release) – Aug 07, 2009 – For a woman of Sudan to take a public stance on any issue is a rarity, let alone her right to challenge the laws of decency and defy the dress code. Lubna Hussein is not too scared to face the ultimate penalty of 40 lashes for her bravery.

Wearing the same green trousers that she had on during her arrest, a former United Nations journalist, Lubna Hussein, created chaos when she made her appearance in court. Hussein gave up her position at the United Nations as it appeared to be giving her immunity from prosecution.

Hussein was with the 13 women arrested in July, when members of the public-order, or morality police force raided a private function at a well patronized restaurant in Khartoum’s Riyadh district. Ten of the women were flogged at a police station two days later and fined around $120 - 250 Sudanese pounds.

For any woman to be seen publicly wearing trousers is considered indecent by a strict interpretation of Islamic law, adopted by Sudan's Islamic regime. The restrictions on public decency are not rigidly enforced in Khartoum, though indecency cases are not uncommon in Sudan. Since an army coup led by President Omar al-Bashir seized power in 1989, toppling an elected but ineffective government, Islamic Sharia law has been implemented in Sudan. Activists and lawyers however, claim the implementation of the law is not done consistently.

“Thousands of women are punished with lashes in Sudan but they stay silent. The law is being used to harass women and I want to expose this", said Hussein. Floggings are used as punishment for a range of dismeanours, including women wearing trousers in public to brewing alcohol. After the hearing Hussein said “This article is against the constitution and even against Islamic law itself".

Diplomats from various embassies attended the court hearing, including France, Canada, Sweden and Spain. There were also politicians and members of the Sudanese Women’s Union present, plus many supporters wearing trousers. Human rights groups are closely watching the proceedings in this test case.

“The SPLM is calling for this law to be repealed. It humiliates both Christian and Muslim women", said a senior member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, (SPLM) the strongest party in southern Sudan. Flogging another human being is against the international human rights standards.

The question remains, why was this particular group of women signaled out in this restaurant? Particularly as one of them was a woman journalist?

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