Why a Sudanese Student Journalist?
Posted on 31. Jul, 2009 by Stenberg-Tendys W.L. in Women
In the latest incident in the Sudan, a student journalist was arrested along with 13 friends, when the ‘public-order’, or ‘morality’ police-force raided a popular restaurant, where a group of young woman were wearing pants.
Indecency cases are not uncommon in Sudan, though the restrictions on public decency are only spasmodically enforced in Khartoum. Islamic Sharia law has been implemented in Sudan since an army coup led by President Omar al-Bashir seized power in 1989, toppling an elected but ineffective government.
Ten of the group of thirteen women were flogged the following day and fined 250 Sudanese pounds, but Hussein and two of her friends opted to go to trial instead.
Under Sudanese law indecent clothing has only one punishment – 40 lashes in public. The lawyer for Hassein, Nabil Adib said, “They ought to stop it. It is quite unnecessary and degrading. It is harassment.”
“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.
Various diplomats attended the court hearing from the embassies of Sweden, Spain, France and Canada. Also present were representatives from the Sudanese Women’s Union, as well as several politicians.
Hussein is making a stand against a law that she considers goes against both the constitution and the Islamic law itself. “I want to expose this.”
Until recently Hussein worked for the media department of the United Nations mission in Sudan and wrote for a newspaper. She is accused of wearing pants that were too tight and a blouse that was too sheer. Was Hussein threatened with flogging because she dared to write critically about the Sudanese regime?
Sudan is listed among the top eight ‘not free’ countries in the world, alongside Burma, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, North Korea, Somalia and Turkestan. 54% of the world’s population still live under oppressive regimes. 42% of the world’s nations are rated as Not-Free, with the people living with barely basic human rights and political freedom totally unknown.
