A Sudanese woman facing 40 lashes for wearing trousers in public made her first appearance in a court packed with supporters yesterday, in what her lawyer described as a test case of Sudan’s decency laws.
There were chaotic scenes as Lubna Hussein, a former journalist who works for the United Nations, attended the hearing wearing the same green slacks that got her arrested for immodest dress.
Indecency cases are not uncommon in Sudan, where there is a large cultural gap between the mostly Muslim and Arab-oriented north and the mainly black and Christian south.
But Ms Hussein has attracted attention by publicising her case, inviting journalists to hearings and using it to campaign against dress codes sporadically imposed in the capital.
The case was adjourned yesterday as lawyers discussed whether her status as a UN employee gave her legal immunity.
After the hearing, defence lawyer Nabil Adib Abdalla said Ms Hussein had agreed to resign from the UN in time for the next court session on August 4th to make sure the case continued.
“First of all she wants to show she is totally innocent, and using her immunity will not prove that,” Mr Abdalla told reporters. “Second she wants to fight the law. The law is too wide. It needs to be reformed ... This is turning into a test case. Human rights groups will be watching this closely.”
He said Ms Hussein was ready to face the maximum penalty for the offence of wearing indecent dress in public – 40 lashes and an unlimited fine. – (Reuters)