Lubna Hussein Freed From Jail

Lubna Ahmed Hussein spent exactly one day, of her one month sentence, in jail. She had been found guilty of violating article 152 of the Sundanese criminal law, which prohibits dressing indecently in public. She was arrested and found guilty of wearing pants in public.

See an interview with Lubna Hussein before being found guilty:

After being found guilty, a fine of about $200 or one month in jail was imposed. Lubna refused to pay the fine, saying she did not want to “give the verdict any legitimacy“, and was imprisoned. Read about the events that led to her being arrested and found guilty.

Mohedinne Titawi, of the Sudanese Union of Journalists, said the union had paid the fine to secure her release.

Upon her release, a defiant Lubna Ahmed Hussein vowed to continue the fight against the law:

“We will continue the fight to change this law, the public order police, the public order tribunals,” she said at the offices of Ajras Al-Hurriya (Bells of Freedom) newspaper where noisy supporters celebrated her release.

Her case, which has attracted international attention, was closely watched and condemned by human rights groups.

The office of the UN human rights chief said her sentencing breached international law and exemplified the discrimination faced by women in Sudan.

“Lubna Hussein’s case is, in our view, emblematic of a wider pattern of … application of discriminatory laws against women in Sudan,” said Rupert Colville, spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Amnesty International urged the Khartoum government to withdraw the charges against Ms Hussein, saying the law used to justify flogging women for wearing clothes deemed “indecent” should be repealed.

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