Woman Faces Forty Lashes For Wearing Trousers
By Lindalinda
@Lindalinda (4111)
Canada
September 6, 2009 10:56am CST
There is an article in the Toronto Star today reporting that a Sudanes female journalist faces a trial and possibly 40 lashes in the Sudan for wearing pants. According to the article Sudan is one of the dwindling number of countries that still imposes flogging as a form of punishment. Other countries such as Brunei, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and Yemen also employ flogging as a feature of law enforcement.
Of course in days past this type of punishment was also used on criminals in Western Countries but thank heavens it has long been abolished.
What is particularly sad is that in this case in the Sudan women are persecuted without reason just because some males have decided that pants on women are immodest. The article also says that other women have been arrested for the same "crime" and did not have money for legal representation and just took the beating. This journalist however insisted on a trial and now awaits the outcome. How do you think it will go?
2 people like this
3 responses
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
11 Sep 09
I know it is difficult for us to understand such penalties in this day and age and to us it renders these places' laws outdated and the nations uncivilised but that is the way of the world in these cases. The women involved should know the law and the consequences of breaking it. It's my belief that she will be found guilty. I lived in Singapore for a couple of years back in the 70's and it is very much a man's world, just as the other countries you mentioned, I guess.
1 person likes this
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
13 Sep 09
Nice to hear from you Ms. Tickle. All the old gang seems to have gone from Mylot. Anyway, you are right, most likely the woman will be convicted and will have to endure the lashes. The point is that sometimes couragious actions like this shine the spotlight on inhuman laws and sometimes laws will change. I don't know if this will happen in strict Muslim countries but at least the lawmakers will know the world dissaproves.
As you know corporal punishment was in use in Western countries as well. In Canada one of the first female Members of Parliament visited a prison and found out about it. She then obtained a strap and in a speech in Parliament rained blows down on her desk with this strap and asked the hooting male MPs if they considered this humaine punishment. The strap and corporal punishment in prisons was abolished shortly thereafter.
1 person likes this
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
7 Sep 09
Yes indeed it very sad. I do admire this woman. She is couragious and wants to bring about changes even if she has to suffer a lot herself. From what the article said other women who were arrested just took the whipping because they could not afford lawyers.
Apparently also the pants were not tight pants or jeans but pants with very wide legs and apart from being divided they looked like a long skirt.
It makes me very angry that this type of punishment still exists.
1 person likes this
@AnnieOakley1 (5596)
• Canada
14 Feb 10
That is just absurd. I believe this to just be women being treated like dogs, like lesser citizens than males. I'm disgusted.
Did you find out what happened to her?
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
15 Feb 10
I never read anything about this woman again, but Ms. Tickle is right. She probably did get whipped. I do admire her courage though and I know if hundreds and thousands of women in that country stood up, the world would put pressure on the males who run that society.
