KHARTOUM, Sudan – A Sudanese woman who wore pants in public was fined the equivalent of $200 but spared a whipping Monday when a court found her guilty of violating Sudan's decency laws.
A defiant Lubna Hussein said she would not pay the fine and would take a month in prison instead to protest Sudan's draconian morality laws.
The 34-year-old journalist has set out to challenge the police and courts since her arrest in July by insisting the case go to trial, aiming to embarrass the Khartoum government with the publicity. Her prosecution – and the prospect that she could get the full sentence of 40 lashes – drew an international outcry.
Hussein vowed to appeal the sentence and even walked into the court wearing the same pair of loose-fitting green slacks that she was arrested in.
Manal Awad Khogali, one of her lawyers, said the judge hearing the case had called only police witnesses to testify and refused to allow Hussein – who has pledged to use her trial to bring attention to women's rights in Sudan – to defend herself.
"He didn't give us a chance," Manal said.
After the trial was over, Hussein seemed defiant as ever. "I will not pay a penny," she said.
On Monday night, after refusing her lawyers' advice to pay, Hussein was whisked off to jail, though her lawyers said that a committee formed for her defense may pay the fine and free her.
Sudan is partly governed by Islamic law, which calls for women to dress modestly. But the law is vague. According to Article 152 of Sudan's penal code, anyone "who commits an indecent act which violates public morality or wears indecent clothing" can be fined and lashed up to 40 times.
Hmmmmmmmm....Go Lubna!! ..Gosh, i mean....WHATS WRONG WITH WEARING PANTS???????
Maybe Sudan just like erm...well ...Malaysia? Think about it...If you feel like, WHAT THE.....Then think about malaysia..ha ha ha....No offends..just that i really love to do some thinking...yeah..Ha ha...
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