Trial of Sudanese journalist alarms Tunisians
2009-08-06
Many Tunisians are voicing concerns that Sudan's prosecution of journalist Lubna Ahmed Hussein for wearing trousers could mark a shift away from women's rights and towards religious extremism in the Maghreb.
By Jamel Arfaoui for Magharebia in Tunis – 06/08/09
 [Ashraf Shazly/AFP/Getty Images] The trial of Sudanese journalist Lubna Ahmed Hussein is causing anger and concern among many Tunisians. |
The trial of Sudanese journalist Lubna Ahmed Hussein is causing anger and concern among many Tunisians, who fear it marks a rise in religious extremism in the Maghreb.
Students, journalists, and ordinary citizens are expressing alarm over the treatment of Hussein, who faces 40 lashes if convicted of wearing trousers and thereby "offend[ing] public decency” under the Sudanese criminal code. She was arrested on July 3rd at a Khartoum restaurant along with 18 other women after police arrived and checked on their attire.
"There is no doubt that the trial of the journalist, Lubna, is the case of every Arab woman," journalist Manal Abdi told Magharebia in a statement. "The case speaks volumes about the extremists and reactionaries in Sudan who don't respect women’s rights or standing."
The Sudanese court decided on Tuesday (August 4th) to adjourn the trial until September 7th. The delay, the second of its kind, came after the defendant's lawyer filed a petition with the court claiming that his client had diplomatic immunity based on her work with the UN mission in Sudan.
The latest trial was marked by confrontations between police and female protesters who staged a sit-in opposite the courthouse to condemn both the trial and the laws that ban the wearing of trousers. The protesters carried banners reading "No Return to the Dark Ages."
"The case has turned into a public opinion case and has attracted more sympathizers, men and women alike, and women’s rights activists, especially because [Hussein] works as a journalist for the UN," said Abdi.
According to Salah Zghidi, a founding member of the Association for the Defense of Secularism in Tunisia, the case confirms the "backwardness" that he said characterized "obscurantists" everywhere.
“It's become necessary for people and the so-called international community to deal with backward regimes based on what they do to women in particular," said Zghidi, adding: "I absolutely can’t accept that international human rights movements, international community bodies and the EU take lots of action when an opposition figure in this or that country is illegally arrested or tortured, while they turn a blind eye to the horrible daily acts of aggression committed against women."
The defendant's lawyer says the case has nothing to do with women's rights.
"The [charges] on which Lubna Hussein is being tried are not the original cause," Lawyer Soumia Sandali told Magharebia in a statement. "The case is fabricated and has nothing to do with women's freedom issues. Rather, the real reason is Lubna's work for the mission of the UN, which recently backed the trial of Sudan's president in the International Criminal Court."
However, according to a CNN report on Tuesday, Hussein deliberately resigned from her post with the UN mission's media department in order to lose immunity and face the charges.
Even given Sandali's statements, the perception that women's rights are at stake, and that the trial is linked to regional religious extremism, continues to permeate the conversation in Tunis.
"I don’t think that the punishment was only the result of her wearing of the trousers; rather, according to what [Hussein] said in an interview with an Arab TV station, it was also because of her writings as a journalist," journalist Douaja Eweidni told Magharebia. "[She] is just one example of thousands of women who suffer discrimination and violence in some societies that prevent them from exercising their most basic rights."
"I’m shocked by the idea of punishing a girl or a woman because of wearing trousers, or the idea of interfering in personal freedoms," student Salim Ben Arafa told Magharebia in a statement. "I'm also against any religious text dominating public or political life. This is the source of our problems, and it's a disaster that such a situation lingers on in the 21st century."
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gleblanc@muniles.ca Posted 2009-08-06
What can we do?
Anne of Carversville Posted 2009-08-06
We are tracking and reporting on Lubna's arrest and other women's rights abuses in the Maghreb region and elsewhere in Africa and the Middle East. I, too, am very concerned about the erosion of women's rights around the world. Please follow and comment on our reporting at http://www.anneofcarversville.com/women-of-sudan/ There is a Contact Anne link in the navigation box. Please contact us with important news, blogs, original articles you would like printed on our website and tips. I do have Arabic translators working on this project. You can also communicate in other languages, including French. All communication is confidential. I'm an American businesswoman and journalist in New York, with no ties of any kind into the Middle East. My only concern is to offer a daily voice in America on this subject of women's rights. I cannot live with myself, when women are being flogged around the world, and I do nothing. Warmly, Anne
Anonymous Posted 2009-08-06
I got quite a laugh reading your correspondent's article. So, there are a lot of Tunisians concerned about the plight of the Sudanese Lubna? I am concerned. The 40 lashes are a barbaric punishment. Don't get me wrong, I am not a sadist. This is not what made me laugh. Let me explain: I first calculated the distance between Tunis and Khartoum (3220 kilometres). Then I tried to explain the sudden worry on the part of Tunisians for what is going on 3220 kilometres away from home. Where were these Tunisians when a 68-year-old woman, who was a former university professor, was sentenced to eight months in prison? She was locked up with thieves, prostitutes and murderers. Why? ...Because the Internet police, who control all publications, including your correspondents' articles, broke into the account she use to transmit the information she read on the Internet. This information was not to the authorities' taste, so the Tunisian inquisition courts sentences here without questioning the sate spies who break into citizens' email accounts. Pardon my mistake, as private email accounts only exist in civilised countries, as do "citizens". I will return to my question: "Where are these outraged Tunisians?" Where were they when Miss Gharbi, the above political dissident, was completely stripped naked and strung from the police station ceiling for 24 hours while a policeman whipped her breasts and genitals? Where were they a few months ago when a political dissident was thrown into a cell with four criminals who then gang raped him? I have quite a long list here. Might these worried Tunisians just be agents of Tunisian propaganda who are trying to fool your correspondent?
Anonymous Posted 2009-08-07
Something very serious has just happened in Africa: 71-year-old President Tandja of Niger, whose second and last five-year presidential term is to end in December, has no desire to leaver power. To achieve this aim, he organised a so-called “referendum” this week. According to him, 92.5% of the population voted “yes” to permit him to stay in power and present himself for election as many times as he wishes. This manipulation of the constitution and of the election system has raised a lot of outrage in Niger, Africa and internationally. France has denounced Mr Tandja’s “repeated attacks on democracy.” The European Union threatened to stop its aid. The distance between Niamey, the capital of Niger, and Tunis is 2700 kilometres, and is thus less than that between Khartoum and Tunis, which is 3220 kilometres. Tunisia is, just like Niger, an active member of the African Union. I suppose that you see the question I am driving at: How did the Tunisians react? To what degree were they distraught over this attack on democracy? What did the student Mr Salim Ben Arafa, who said he was shocked by Lubna’s lashing and told you that “[i]t's a disaster that such a situation lingers on in the 21st century”? What were the thoughts of Mr Salah Zghidi, who said, “It's become necessary for people and the so-called international community to deal with backward regimes based on what they do…”? I really appreciated this condemnation of this “backwardness” and the “‘obscurantists’ everywhere”. I will not ask you for Tunisia’s official reaction, which would risk having diplomatic implications. However, I do await the results of an investigation of your correspondent before the end of the 21st Century.
Anonymous Posted 2009-08-08
I would like to correct a mistake in the comment. It is written: 'Miss Gharbi, the above political dissident'. This suggests that the name of the 68 year old lady and former university professor who was jailed with criminals and prostitutes is Miss Gharbi. This is not the case. Her name is Mrs Arfaoui, a respected scholar and a champion of women's rights. This is the real reason for her persecution by the Tunisian authorities and why the Tunisian Internet Police who was spying on her private mail fabricated a case against her. The other case is different. It concerns not a Miss Gharbi but a Mrs Gharbi, a mother of 5 children in her forties. Her husband is a political dissident who succeeded in escaping from Tunisia where he was jailed and tortured. He reached France where he got political asylum. To revenge the Tunisian authorities arrested his wife and subjected her to degrading sexual abuse and torture and hanged her completely naked for 24 hours from the ceiling of a police station. She too succeeded later in joining her husband in France. There she discovered one day that the man who was instructing the police officers in Tunisia how to abuse her, Mr Khaled Ben Said, had been promoted to the rank of a diplomat representing his country in France. She lodged a complaint against him. But the diplomat, instead of attending the trial, fled to Tunisia. Under the provisions of universal jurisdiction and after studying the case for two years and hearing many experts and witnesses, a French court sentenced the Tunisian diplomat to 8 years of prison. But despite international warrants, he could not be arrested. He is protected by the Tunisian government. Mrs Ben Sedrine, an expert on Tunisia, confirmed that 'torture is institutionalised in Tunisia', a main touristic country.
محمد الأمين Posted 2009-08-09
I hope that my brothers in Tunisia condemn injustice and discrimination against veiled women in their countries, fight injustice against her and interference with their personal freedoms.
ابو علم الدين Posted 2009-08-09
The journalist Loubna wanted just to create a media storm. We have our traditions and customs. Wearing the cloak and long dress is the dress of decency and decorum to the public. The western dress is not one of its traditions. Blind imitation leads us to such altercations. Hold on to your religion and Sharia which has decided everything. Our brothers the people of the public order, may God reward them with good, they work hard for the comfort of the citizen and breaking the backs of the cheaters. Flog every unveiled woman and every scab.
NASSER MOHAMMED ABD ALRHMAN Posted 2009-08-09
There are many such acts of the security of the community police. Many of the girls had been beaten and humiliated by the security of the community police And helps them to Scott so that girls. But the Lupna characterized by courage
Anonymous Posted 2009-08-09
I hope everybody, not only the brothers and not only in Tunisia but everywhere, will also condemn the torture used by the Tunisian government against women and the sexual abuse women are subjected to because of their political opinions or the opinions of their relatives. These terror methods aiming at silencing the opponents of the one and only opinion of the totalitarian state must stop. If the Tunisian internet spies who watch this site and intervene from time to time under a false identity are really concerned about women rights they should first condemn openly the abuse of women rights by Tunisia. They will gain more credibility. But they prefer crying crocodile tears on what is threatening to happen in Sudan. Why are they so silent about the rape of Tunisian dissident males by the police, either with a baton or by delivering them to jailed criminals who will rape them collectively? I even heard of people who got AIDS contaminated as a result. Why did the gentleman with a pathetic appeal for Lubna shut his mouth about mrs Arfaoui, the respectable 68 years old professor who was unjustly condemned to 8 months of prison and got indeed jailed with prostitutes and criminals? The truth is that the Tunisian regime was happy with 9-11 and used it as a pretext to wipe out every political dissent in Tunisia by accusing its opponents of fundamentalism and by creating a hysteria about fundamentalist danger in Tunisia. If this is true why does Tunisia try so hard to attract tourists? To have them killed by fundamentalists? Tunisian propagandists try to lure people of good faith into error. This also applies to the Tunisian censor who looks over the shoulder of journalists when they write a paper. An advised person smells immediately the stinking breath of the Tunisian censor.
Anonymous Posted 2009-08-10
Is it not strange that such a stupid obscurantist as the one above calling for flogging unveiled women visits the site of Magharebia? Fundamentalists of that kind have their own favorite sites where they feel at their ease. The subjects treated here and the way they are treated don't fit in their way of life. And what a coincidence that he paid his visit right in time to comment on the story of Lubna. He didn't forget in his comment to reject the West and cling to the sharia, making it easy for readers to unmask him as an ultra muslim fundamentalist. Too easy even. He also sounds like a Sudanese when he says: 'our traditions and customs'. I had a look at the Arabic text and saw that he called the long dress the 'dress of decency'. The Arabic word used for 'decency' is the word 'heshma' حشمة which is used by Tunisians, because a Sudanese would say 'haya'حياء or 'effa' عفّة. But the dress described is typically Sudanese, and you wouldn't see it in Tunisia, except at the Sudanese embassy. I have the strong feeling somebody is playing a game by portraying a stereotype muslim fundamentalist who hates the West and wants to apply sharia punishments to women. The type of fundamentalist the Tunisian president Ben Ali doesn't like because Mr Ben Ali as we know loves the West and is the champion of women's emancipation. But what about his 'agents provocateurs'?
Mike Posted 2009-08-13
Since when did Islamic Law mandate the lashing of women who wear pants?
مح Posted 2009-08-13
I think that the United Nations should interfere because this is considered narrow-mindedness and backwardness.
عبدالحميد Posted 2009-08-17
This reflects the acts of authorities including oppression and injustice against members of the people after the massacres and rapes which were internationally condemned, tracking girls in the streets, beating them and violating all sanctities. This is the case of backward and ignorant regimes.
جوري Posted 2009-08-20
May God guide us and guide all Muslims.
بشرى Posted 2009-08-20
I think everyone is free to wear a trousers or dress. You should direct your interest to more important issues including moral crimes, corruption, upgrading education and the cultural level which is seems to be the biggest struggle for this nation. All we needed was the trousers of the Sudanese!
مغاربية Posted 2009-08-22
Everyone should wear whatever they want. They will be accountable before God.
oum 3abdollah Posted 2009-08-28
Oh Lord take back Muslims to their religion nicely. As the proverb says: people help each other but the bald is busy combing his hair.
arabo (canada) Posted 2009-10-03
Unfortunately, this affair with the Sudanese journalist wearing pants has gone international. It has nothing to do with religion. I do not see how the Sudanese government came up with this fatwa based on any text. The fatwa is completely false and contradictory. On the contrary, there is a prophetic hadith that incites women to wear pants of a rather good size so that you do not see her physical form. In this sense, God gave His blessing to the moutasarwilat, which comes from the Arabic word “sirwal”, meaning “pants”. Given this is the case, why has there not been one mufti to come forward publicly to explain to the entire world this mistake, which is effecting moderate Muslims?
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