France’s foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, today commended the courage of Lubna Hussein a Sudanese journalist and women’s rights activist who was recently released from jail after charges of violating Sudan’s rigid dress code.
Last September, the judge ordered the female journalist to pay a fine of 500 pounds ($200) or else be jailed for 30 days after being convicted of indecent dressing. Lubna refused to pay the fine but she was released well before her one month jail sentence expired.
"We are all concerned by this (situation) because the subject of the violation of human rights, particularly the rights of women, affects us all," said Kouchner in a joint press conference with the Sudanese journalist who is visiting the French capital this week.
"It is a very great struggle," he further said adding "It is a very important struggle for Arab women and for African women." The minister also disclosed that Lubna would receive soon an award in Cairo from an Arab Women’s organization for her work.
Kouchner said Tuesday that 43,000 women were arrested in and around the Sudanese capital alone in such cases last year.
Source: Sudan Tribune, November 24, 2009
