Sudanese women shout slogans during a protest in Khartoum last year. The trial of a Sudanese woman journalist who faces 40 lashes for wearing trousers has been adjourned as police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators outside the Khartoum court.
(AFP/File/Isam al-Haj)
A Sudanese activist march in support to Lubna Hussein, who faces a punishment of 40 lashes on the charge of 'indecent dressing.' Tuesday Aug. 4, 2009, outside a Khartoum court where Hussein is going on trial for wearing trousers in public, a violation of the country's strict Islamic laws. Arabic slogan read as ' Lubna case, is all women case'.
(AP Photo/Abd Raouf)
Police beat women opposing Sudan dress code trial
By MOHAMED OSMAN and SARAH EL DEEB, Associated Press Writers
20 mins ago
KHARTOUM, Sudan – Sudanese police fired tear gas and beat women protesting at the trial Tuesday of a female journalist who faces a flogging for wearing trousers in public.
Sudanese journalist Lubna Hussein could receive 40 lashes if found guilty of violating the country's indecency law which follows a strict interpretation of Islam. The 43-year-old says the law is un-Islamic and "oppressive," and she's trying to use her trial to rally support to change it.
"I am not afraid of flogging. ... It's about changing the law," Hussein said, speaking to The Associated Press after a hearing Tuesday.
Hussein said she would take the issue all the way to Sudan's constitutional court if necessary, but that if the court rules against her and orders the flogging, she's ready "to receive (even) 40,000 lashes" if that what it takes to abolish the law.
Hussein was among 13 women arrested July 3 in a raid by the public order police on a popular cafe in Khartoum. Ten of the women were fined and flogged two days later. But Hussein and two others decided to go to trial.
In an attempt to rally support, Hussein printed invitations to diplomats, international media, and activists to attend her trial which opened last week. She also resigned from her job in the U.N.'s public information office in Khartoum, declining the immunity that went along with the job to challenge the law.
Around 100 supporters, including many women in trousers as well as others in traditional dress, protested outside the court Tuesday.
Witnesses said police wielding batons beat up one of Hussein's lawyers, Manal Awad Khogali, while keeping media and cameras at bay. No injuries were immediately reported.
"We are here to protest against this law that oppresses women and debases them," said one of the protesters, Amal Habani, a female columnist for the daily Ajraas Al Hurria, or Bells of Freedom in Arabic.
While the police broke up the demonstration outside the Khartoum Criminal Court, the judge adjourned Hussein's trial for a month to clarify whether her resignation has been accepted by the United Nations.
The 1991 indecency law was adopted by Sudan's Islamic regime which came to power after a coup led by President Omar al-Bashir in 1989. It follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law that imposes physical punishment on "those who commit an indecent act that violates public morale; or who dress indecently."
Trousers are considered indecent under the law. Activists and lawyers say it is implemented arbitrarily, and leaves the definition of "indecent acts" up to the implementing police officer.
Hussein said the law is unconstituational, and is not supported by Islamic text. Flogging is a common punishment for drinking and making alcohol, and whatever else the law enforcer deems indecent. Recently, a famous Sudanese singer, who took to the stage under the influence of alcohol, was flogged.
"Flogging is an insult to human dignity," Hussein said. "If the (rulers) claim this is based on Islamic Shariah (law), can anyone show me a verse in the Quran or in the prophet's teachings that speak of flogging women because of their dress code?"
Rabie Abdel Attie, a government spokesman, called the uproar over the case politically motivated and said only the constitutional court can decide to repeal the law.
"There is no need for all that noise. There are clearly political motivations behind this thrust," he said.
The public order police force patrols the streets of Khartoum, enforcing an alcohol ban and often scolding young men and women mingling in public.
Hussein said many women endure the flogging in silence, because they fear the stigma associated with being tried under the indecency law.
Hussein wore the same clothes Tuesday that she wore when arrested, including the dark-colored pants that authorities found offensive. She said she is required to wear the outfit to court so officials can see the clothing when making their decision. But Hussein said she's also been wearing the outfit every day, even when not in court, to highlight her case.
Her trial opened last Wednesday but immediately adjourned to give her the opportunity to resign from her U.N. job.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was "deeply concerned" about Hussein's case and that flogging is a violation of international human rights standards.
The U.N. Staff Union urged authorities last week not to flog Hussein, calling the punishment cruel, inhuman and degrading.
__
El Deeb contributed to this report from Cairo.
Article: HERE
Lubna Hussein (C), gestures outside the court after her trial in Sudan's capital Khartoum was delayed today
<:od>Police fire tear gas at women supporting Christian Sudanese woman facing 40 lashes for wearing trousers 04th August 2009
Police fired tear gas and beat protesters outside a Sudanese court today during the trial of a female journalist accused of violating the Islamic dress code by wearing trousers in public.
The Sudanese officers moved in swiftly and dispersed about 50 demonstrators, mostly women, who were supporting Lubna Hussein, a former U.N. worker facing 40 lashes on the charge of 'indecent dressing'.
Some of the women demonstrators wore trousers in solidarity with Hussein.
Hussein was due to go on trial today, after it was adjourned last week allowing her to resign from her job at the U.N. and waive her diplomatic immunity.
Her trial was postponed for a month today as defence lawyer Jalal al-Sayed told reporters the judge wanted to know whether Hussein still has immunity because her superiors have not yet accepted the resignation.
No injuries were immediately reported during the violence outside the court but witnesses said police wielding batons beat up one of Hussein's lawyers, Manal Awad Khogali, while keeping media and cameras at bay.
'We are here to protest against this law that oppresses women and debases them,' said one of the protesters, Amal Habani, a female columnist for the daily Ajraas Al Hurria, or Bells of Freedom in Arabic.
Sudanese riot police stand guard as supporters of al-Hussein outside the court in Khartoum today before violence broke out
Hussein was among 13 women arrested last month in a raid by police on a popular cafe in the city.
The journalist, who worked for the U.N. Mission in Sudan had been wearing trousers in violation of the country's strict Islamic laws.
But the law is not supposed to apply to non-Muslims like Miss Hussein.
Miss Hussein's hearing opened last Wednesday but was adjourned in order that she could resign from her job at the media department of the U.N. Mission in Sudan - a position that could have granted her immunity from trial.
She said she wanted to challenge the law on women's public dress code and invited human rights workers, Western diplomats and fellow journalists to the hearing.
As she arrived at the court today, she told reporters she expected a swift sentence and that she didn't know if the court would allow an appeal.
Sudanese journalist Lubna Hussein, right, who faces 40 lashes on the charge of 'indecent dressing', flashes a victory sign to her supporters as she enters the court in Khartoum today
'I am ready for what may come,' she said, adding that the protesters proved how 'Sudanese women from different political parties and groupings stand with us.'
Police were deployed around the courthouse since early this morning to keep media and cameras at bay.
The U.N. Staff Union urged authorities last week not to flog Hussein, calling the punishment cruel, inhuman and degrading.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described himself as 'deeply concerned' about Hussein's case and said flogging was a violation of international human rights standards.
Sudanese women demonstrate Hussein's trial. Up to 100 women gathered before police dispersed the crowd with tear gas
Ten of the women arrested alongside Miss Hussein on July 3 were flogged at a police station two days later and fined 250 Sudanese pounds (about £70), but Miss Hussein and two others decided to go on trial.
Under Islamic laws used in parts of the country, it is illegal for a woman to wear trousers rather than long skirts in public.
Trousers are considered indecent by the strict interpretation of Islamic law, adopted by Sudan's Islamic regime that came to power in 1989 after an army coup led by President Omar al-Bashir seized power.
The law is only imposed sporadically in the capital, Khartoum, where Miss Hussein was arrested.
Indecency cases are not uncommon in Sudan, but the former journalist has used hers to campaign against dress codes.
Article: HERE
Comments