Christian women flogged for wearing pants

A Quran

An international Christian ministry is condemning Sudanese Islamic officials for arresting, fining and flogging several Christian women for wearing pants.

“Flogging women for wearing pants is both outrageous and against the dignity of the women,” said Jonathan Racho, regional manager for Africa and the Middle East for International Christian Concern, in a statement today.

The Sudan Tribune reported that among the victims was Lubna Hussein, a journalist and public information officer at the U.N. Mission in Sudan.

Hussein said she was one of nine taken by the Islamic nation’s Public Order Police on Sunday from a ballroom near the capital, Khartoum.

The women were in violation of the law, they were told, for wearing trousers.

The report said the nation’s Criminal Penal Code allows up to 40 lashes or a fine, or both, for anyone wearing “indecent” clothing.

Some of the women arrested were non-Muslims under 18, who were given 10 lashes and a fine.

The report said several women demanded their lawyers, and their cases were delayed.

According to the ICC, a total of 10 were arrested; including three Christian girls under 18 years old.

The ICC said by subjecting the girls to inhumane and degrading treatment, the Sudanese officials violated international human right standards as well as the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in 2005 by the Islamic government of Sudan and the mainly Christian and animist southern Sudanese.

The ICC said the agreement documented that Islamic laws are “not applicable to non-Muslims.”

David Choat, the congregational affairs officer of the mission of the government of South Sudan to the U.S., told ICC, “The flogging is an imposition of Islamic values on Christians and it’s also a violation of religious freedom. This is telling us (the Sudanese people) that there are certain religions that are more important than the rest.”

According to the Sudan Tribune, the French government also is protesting the actions.

“France strongly condemns whipping of 10 Sudanese women announced yesterday. We are particularly concerned by information that many others could be sentenced to similar sentences,” Eric Chevallier of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the news agency.

“France, which is fighting for the abolition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and violence against women, calls on the Sudanese authorities to stop the proceedings against these people,” he added.

On the newspaper’s forum page, a contributor wrote: “This act of humiliating of the innocents sends shock waves of anger through out the civilized world. These … imams must be reminded that their actions are not acceptable and the world will not tolerate these kind of barbaric laws.”

Said another, “Islam and Sudan are innocent of everything … and trust me your days are numbered, mark my words!”

Bob Unruh

Bob Unruh joined WND in 2006 after nearly three decades with the Associated Press, as well as several Upper Midwest newspapers, where he covered everything from legislative battles and sports to tornadoes and homicidal survivalists. He is also a photographer whose scenic work has been used commercially. Read more of Bob Unruh's articles here.