Sudan Caning Case – Lubna Released, But What Next?

So Lubna Ahmed al-Hussein, the former journalist convicted in Sudan for wearing “indecent” clothing (a pair of trousers) has been freed from prison.  She was orginally faced with caning (and indeed most of the women caught for the same offense at the same time and place as Lubna Hussein had already been dealt with by caning).  After her case attracted considerable local and international interest, she was finally fined 500 Sudanese pounds (approximately US$200) or in default, 30 days in jail.  She refused to pay the fine, chose to go to jail, and refused to accept any third party offer to pay her fine.

However, barely 24 hours after going to jail, she was abruptly released. It seems that the Sudanese Union of Journalists has paid her fine. Describing the release, Lubna Ahmed al-Hussein said: “They just came to me in the prison minutes ago and told me I have to go. I have no idea why. I am not happy. I told all my friends and family not to pay the fine. But I have been freed.”

But now that she is freed, what will she do next?  Well, Lubna Ahmed al-Hussein has vowed to press on. Why? “I am not happy because there are more than 700 women still in the prison who have got no one to pay for them.”

Meanwhile, her former employer, the UN Mission in Sudan said:  ”We’ll be with her all the way.”  In a lengthy statement, the UN Mission in Sudan hit out at the way the law has been carried out in cases involving women.  Referring to the women arrested with Lubna Hussein, it said: ”There was lack of legal representation for the other women and inadequate time to prepare their defence. There was also an absence of review of the sentence for other women. The judgment and flogging of some of the women arrested with Ms. Hussein who were not represented by legal counsel were carried out immediately under Section 152(1) of the 1991 Criminal Act.”

The UN statement went on to say: “The rights to freedom from arbitrary arrest, to due process of law, and to freedom from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment are expressly protected in the Bill of Rights contained in Sudan’s Interim National Constitution. They are also enshrined in international human rights treaties to which Sudan is a State Party.”

It also critized the fact that  the women arrested that night with Lubna Ahmed al-Hussein were not told of the charges against them.

So we can expect that this won’t be the end of the Lubna Hussein case.  Will she achieve her aim to either modify or get rid of Article 152 of the Sudan Criminal Law?

Related posts

Sudan Caning Case – Lubna Hussein In Jail
Sudan Caning – Will Case Against Lubna Be Dismissed?
Sudan Woman Caning Case – Update
Why Different Standards For Caning?