Sudan - trouser trial

Judge adjourns trial for a month on female trouser case

Article published on the 2009-08-04 Latest update 2009-08-04 17:22 TU

Lubna Hussein (c) joins women demonstrating outside the court after her trial
(Photo: Reuters)

A Khartoum judge on Tuesday adjourned the trial of the female Sudanese journalist who faces 40 lashes for wearing trousers. Her lawyer says the delay is ordered so as to determine whether Lubna Ahmed al-Hussein, who is also a UN employee, has legal immunity, Hussein was arrested for public indecency last month along with 12 other women who were wearing trousers at a Khartoum restaurant.

Hussein, who is in her 30s, told a hearing last month that she wanted to waive her UN immunity. She agreed to be tried in order to challenge the law that people wearing 'indecent' clothes should be whipped. She has resigned from her post at the UN's media information office in Khartoum.

But her defense team appealed to the judge to ignore Hussein's wishes. One of her lawyers argued that she did have immunity.

The trial has caused a public storm in the capital. Police used teargas to disperse hundreds of protesters, primarily women and opposition party members, who gathered outside the courthouse to demonstrate their solidarity with Hussein. The protesters also blocked a road leading to the courthouse.

Manal Khawajali, a lawyer for Hussein, said she was assaulted by police outside the courthouse and would be filing a complaint.

Ten women, including Christians, have already been tried and whipped for the same offense. As she emerged from the court, Hussein told reporters that she would fight a guilty verdict and she would fight the law.