SUDAN: VIOLENT HARRASSMENT OF WOMEN
The Sudanese Victims of Torture Group has received confirmed information that on Friday 6 July 2001, afternoon , in Khartoum north street, the Public Order Police stopped 3 young women and questioned them about their clothes and dress. When the women protested, the police attacked the women, beat them and verbally abused them.
PRESS RELEASE: Thursday 19 July 2001
The women are named as:
Raniya el Shaikh Mohamed: Student at Omdurman Ahliya University.
Iman el Shaikh Mohamed: Secondary school student.
Hibba Rahama: Graduate of Omdurman Ahliya University.
A medical report was issued by doctors at a hospital in Khartoum confirming their injuries. The parents of the students reported the incident to the police and formally protested to the authorities.
Harassment of the female students is a systematic policy by the public order police and the regulations placed on women as regard how they should dress are justified by the so called demands of Islamic propriety. Under the "public order law", Public Order Police can raid unauthorised parties involving both men and women and round up "improperly" dressed women before taking them to special tribunals to be jailed, flogged or fined.
SVTG calls upon the Sudanese government to:
i. To guarantee that these claims be investigated.
ii. Put an end to the harassment of women by public order police ;
iii. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards.
Addresses
His Excellency Lieutenant General Omar Hassan al-Bashir, President of the Republic of Sudan, People’s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Telex: 22385 PEPLC SD or 22411 KAID SD- Fax: +249 11 71 7 24
Mr Ali Osman Yasin, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Ministry of Justice, Khartoum, Sudan. Telex:22459 KHRJA SD or 22461 KHRJA SD (via Ministry of Foreign Affairs) – Fax: +249 11 740 63
Mr Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan, Telex: 22459 KHRJA SD or 22461 KHRJA SD – Fax: 249 11 740 63
SVTG is an independent non-governmental human rights organisation, for further details on this press release or any other information please contact;
The Sudanese Victims of Torture Group
Park Business Centre
Kilburn Park Rd
London NW6 5LF
UK
Tel: +44-207 6258055
Email: [email protected]