Protest in support of Lubna Hussein, tomorrow lunchtime, London
by Jess McCabe // 3 September 2009, 13:51
Tomorrow there will be a protest opposite the Embassy of Sudan in London, in support of Lubna Hessein, who faces trial next week for the crime of "indecent dressing" (ie wearing trousers).
More on Lubna's situation and the background to this trial in Laura's post here.
The demonstration will begin at 1pm tomorrow, at the embassy, which is at 3 Cleveland Row, London SW1 1DD. There will be speakers at 1 then leaflet distribution at 1.30. The speakers at Dr Amal Sidahmed from Sudan, Ajok Wek Athian, chair of Sudanese Women for Peace and Equality and a third speaker, to be confirmed.
The protest has been organised by "a group of women and men who are outraged about what has happened to Lubna Hussein and thousands of other women in Sudan. We want to show our solidarity with Lubna Hussein and to add our voices to those calling for an end to this barbaric treatment of women."
In early August, protests outside Lubna's trial (presumably an earlier stage in the trial?), saw police use tear gas against the protesters.
If you want to show your support, but can't be at the protest, you can sign a petition here.
The organisers are also asking people to write to your MP, the Ambassador for Sudan, Omer Mohamed Siddigand and Foreign Secretary David Miliband, asking them to:
condemn the whipping and punishment of women for wearing trousers in Sudan;
call for the elimination of Article 152 of the Sudanese Criminal Code;
ask President al-Bashir to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and respect the human rights of all Sudan’s citizens.
You can also send messages of support to Lubna Hussein’s campaign, the Initiative Against Women’s Oppression in Sudan, at iawos152@hotmail.com
Photo of supporter kissing Hussein at a protest from AP.
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Catherine Redfern // Posted 04 September 2009 at 18:05
I have uploaded some photos from this protest today on Flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43499845@N00/sets/72157622115732747/
earwicga // Posted 07 September 2009 at 14:12
Lubna Hussein has been found guilty of indency today, and faces jail if she does not pay the fine imposed. She plans to appeal.
Flogging was not part of the sentence. Women protesters outside the court were called prostitutes and beaten by the police.
Bea // Posted 07 September 2009 at 23:00
I heard this story reported today on the radio 4 news and was appalled, not only by the case, but by the way it was presented. It came as the one-line final headline, which is notoriously the lighthearted quirky story of news broadcasts. The news reader delivered the line in a peculiarly jokey way. "In Sudan, a woman has been jailed for indecency, for wearing TROUSERS!! ho ho ho..." The way it was said, the news story might as well have been 'In Timbuctoo, a baby has been raised by a family of parakeets!' I know this story inspires incredulity, but it does not, or certainly should not, inspire amusement. There also seemed to be a note of condecension, implying 'imagine that happening here?! those savages...' I feel that this was an extremely unhelpful and disrespectful way to report on a terrible injustice which a real person is experiencing and suffering the results of.
My full respect goes to those, however, who protested against this injustice and stood up to be counted.