Sudan women finally become free
Reacting to the welcome decision
to do away with the laws which limited women in appearing in public, Amnesty
International Deputy Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes,
Seif Magango, said, “This is a big step forward for women’s rights in Sudan.
The repeal of the public order laws was long overdue. Many women were
arbitrarily arrested, beaten and deprived of their rights to freedom of
association and expression under this discriminatory law.
“The transitional government must
now ensure that the entire oppressive public order regime is abolished. This
includes repealing the articles dictating women’s dress code that are still in
the criminal law, disbanding the public order police and the dedicated courts,
and abolishing flogging as a form of punishment.
“The authorities must also amend
the criminal law of 1991, especially Articles 77 and 78 governing consumption
of and dealing with alcohol, and Articles 145-158 governing so-called
“morality”, including consensual sex, dress code, and other matters on the
conduct of individuals in private spaces.”
The public order laws gave the
public order police extensive powers to arrest any person, particularly women
for dancing at parties, vending on the streets and begging.
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