March 29, 2024

We are failing these women

When I was in Khartoum earlier this year, I went to the courtroom where Lubna Hussein was being tried under the Public Order Offense laws for wearing trousers. As readers of this blog will know, the public scrutiny of Lubna’s case was such that the court eventually backed off sentencing her with a flogging, and instead ordered her to pay a fine. Today Lubna was in court again – but this time as a spectator, to support two other women who were arrested the same night that she was. The difference was that this time, there was no international spotlight. According to AFP, the two women have been sentenced to twenty lashes each.

AFP does not say if there were Sudanese women protesting in support of these women as there were in Lubna’s case. I’m trying to reach her now to confirm all the details. But based on conversations I had with her (domestic) supporters when I was there, I will be really surprised if they weren’t out in force again today. I think the only missing link was us.

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