SUDAN HUMAN RIGHTS MONITOR ISSUE 2

SUDAN HUMAN RIGHTS MONITOR
JUNE-JULY 2009

Feature

The arrest of Lubna Hussein, a journalist and a public information officer at the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) has thrust Sudan’s public order legislation into the spotlight Ms. Hussien was arrested on 3 July 2009 along with 12 other girls and charged with violating public order The basis for the charge, the women were informed upon their arrest, was that they had been wearing trousers.
The case has garnered widespread media attention, but unfortunately the only exceptional element is the profile and position of the target of the arrest. Ordinary women, particularly those from Southern Sudan and those who are poor, are regularly prosecuted for such infractions. Specialised courts which prosecute offenders lack procedural guarantees and typically enforce sentences on an expedited basis.
Ms. Hussein has previously written critically about the implementation of these laws and has been adept at using her own experience to draw attention to these problematic practices, speaking out publicly and sending out hundreds of invitations to her presumed punishment. This article will seek to reinforce these efforts by laying out the history of these laws in Sudan and highlighting some of the ways in which they have been applied.

Download full report here: SUDAN HUMAN RIGHTS MONITOR ISSUE 2

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