Police in Sudan beat women opposing ban on trousers

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tuesday, August 4th 2009, 4:55 PMKHARTOUM, Sudan - 

Sudanese police fired tear gas and beat women protesting outside a Sudanese court Tuesday during the trial of a female journalist accused of violating the Islamic dress code by wearing trousers in public.Police moved in swiftly and dispersed about 50 protesters, 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 while others wore more traditional dress.Trousers are considered indecent under the strict interpretation of Islamic law, adopted by Sudan's Islamic regime which came to power after a coup led by President Omar al-Bashir in 1989.But activists and lawyers say the implementation of the law is arbitrary. 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 flogged at a police station two days later and fined 250 Sudanese pounds, or about $120. But Hussein and two others decided to go on trial. She has sought to publicize her case internationally, inviting human rights workers, Western diplomats and fellow journalists to witness her trial."I am not afraid of flogging. ... It's not about flogging. It's not about my innocence. It's about changing the law," Hussein said, speaking to The Associated Press after the hearing Tuesday.She 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 was ready "to receive (even) 40,000 lashes."Hussein wore the same clothes Tuesday she wore when arrested, including the dark-colored pants that authorities found offensive.Although she was required to wear the same outfit to court so the judge and others could see the clothing, Hussein said she's been wearing it every day to highlight her case. In the clashes outside the courtroom, 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 seek clarification from Sudan's foreign ministry.At the time of her arrest, Hussein was working for the media department of the U.N. Mission in Sudan, which gives her immunity from prosecution. She submitted her resignation after her trial began last week because she wanted to go on trial to challenge the dress code law.Defense lawyer Jalal al-Sayed told reporters Tuesday the judge wanted to know whether Hussein still has immunity because her superiors have not yet accepted the resignation.Hussein's hearings first opened last Wednesday but immediately adjourned to give her the opportunity to resign. Hussein has lauded her supporters, saying they showed that "Sudanese women from different political parties and groupings stand with us."The case has drawn criticism from the United Nations.

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 said he was "deeply concerned" about Hussein's case and said flogging was a violation of international human rights standards.