Betts Webster
SOC 202/IGS 223
09-10-09; 9:47 PM
A Sudanese journalist, Lubna Ahmed Hussein, was arrested in July along with a dozen or so other women for wearing…pants. Some women plead guilty and were released after 10 lashings. Hussein however refused to plead guilty or pay the $200 fine because she did not want to “give the verdict any legitimacy.” She was jailed and could be punished with up to 40 lashes. Hussein claims that some of the women arrested with her were Christians who were not supposed to be held to or punished under Islamic law. She also maintains that she was not given a fair trial or chance to defend herself and will appeal the court’s verdict, in the hopes that her trial will “become a test case for women's rights.”
There are oh-so-many issues here; I’m not sure where to begin. The fact that wearing pants is punishable by 10 lashes and obstinacy will get you 30 more is mind-boggling. The fact that even though they weren’t Muslim and therefore did not have to adhere to Islamic law, women were beaten as punishment and that is still acceptable and “okay” is sick. I understand the argument that our cultures are different and it’s ethnocentric to look down on their culture but the Christian women were not a part of their culture either, mind I don’t think anyone deserved to be beaten. I don’t understand, her body was still covered, which is the point, and I think the government/courts/men are trying to make an example of her and I hope that she makes an example herself for other women to stand up and fight for their rights.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8241894.stm
1 comment:
I agree this is mind boggling. This woman is not even Muslim and was not given any rights. She was given more lashing because she attempted to fight the case.
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