So much weirdness in the world! So little time Here I chronicle a small part of it. Saudi Arabia is currently leading.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
SUDAN - Flogging A Woman
I have come across this vimeo video of a woman in Sudan being flogged. I apologise for posting three such brutal posts in a row, but what can I say? This is the world we live in. I hope my next posting will be pleasantly weird.
Screengrab from a YouTube clip of a woman being lashed in a carpark by police in Sudan. Sudan's judiciary has launched an investigation into the public flogging of a woman after footage of her being whipped by laughing policemen was posted to the internet.
The YouTube video shows an unidentified woman in a long black dress and a headscarf being ordered to sit down in a parking lot (Warning: Video contains graphic images of violence some may find disturbing). [NOTE: YouTube removed the video saying that it was too graphic. That's strange. I remember once watching a beheading on YouTube.]
A uniformed policeman proceeds to whip her all over her body as she screams in pain. A second officer laughs when he realises he is being filmed, before joining in the punishment, which lasts a minute and a half.
Flogging is relatively common is northern Sudan, where sharia law is often enforced arbitrarily. But the cruel, nonchalant behaviour of the security forces amid the distress of the victim in this case caused a stir in the country and the diaspora, and even attracted condemnation in some pro-government newspapers.
Initially Sudan's deputy police chief, Adel Al-Agib, tried to downplay the incident, saying that the footage was circulated in order to damage the image of the country, according to the Sudan Tribune newspaper.
But the judicial authority, which oversees the legal system, released a statement yesterday saying it had launched an official inquiry to see if the punishment had been administered improperly.
"The investigation was started immediately after the images of the young woman, being punished under Articles 154 and 155 of the 1991 Sudanese penal code, appeared on the internet," the judiciary said in a statement, according to state media.
These articles allow up to 100 lashes for adultery and running a brothel, in addition to a jail sentence. In this case the woman's alleged crime is not known, although comments on social media sites suggest it could have been the wearing of trousers, which has in the past been judged to violate a law governing "indecent or immoral dress".
In the subtitles on the clip, a policeman can be heard telling the women that her punishment is 53 lashes, and that she will be jailed for two years if she does not submit to the flogging. Another voice says the woman should comply because "we want to go [home]".
During her ordeal, which was witnessed by numerous passers-by, the victim shouts repeatedly for her mother and grabs one the whips of one of the policeman in a vain attempt to stop the beating. The case follows the well-publicised trial last year of Lubna Hussein, a UN worker who was arrested with a dozen other women for wearing trousers at a party in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.
It is grueling to watch, as are the ones of stonings. One reason I post these terrible things is that I believe that bringing them into the light of day is one step toward ending them. Nothing is posted without a reason, I assure you.
Men like this will never respect women. Period. However, they can be forced to act as if they did. Laws can be passed and enforced to keep this from happening. One piece of good news, I think, is that South Sudan will soon be an independent country. Those in the north, though, will still be subject to this sort of brutality.
I agree. I loved your blog and linked this post to my post yesterday. It maybe grueling to watch, but can't be anything compared to what the victim go through.Creating awareness does make a difference.
I don't know what to say. This post and the posts about Afganistan and Bangladesh just shoe the sheer cruelty of some men. You are absolutely correct, those men will never respect women. It is also true that those men can be forced to obey the law.
THOSE MEN CAN BE FORCED TO OBEY THE LAW That is one key. It simply isn't true that first you must change hearts and then laws. The USA civil rights laws, especially the Civil Rights Act of 1964, shows that.
Once the laws are passed and enforced, the rest follows. Too slowly to be sure, but change does come.
I wonder what effect the secession of South Sudan will have?
Hi Mai. I am reading your blogs about capital punishment and agree that it is something that should be left in the dark ages. The way certain ( essentially Muslim) countries treat women and people in general is terrible and begs for immediate change. I enjoy your blog and find you a good writer. Regards, Cindy
Indian Home Maker ji,
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting.
It is grueling to watch, as are the ones of stonings. One reason I post these terrible things is that I believe that bringing them into the light of day is one step toward ending them. Nothing is posted without a reason, I assure you.
Men like this will never respect women. Period. However, they can be forced to act as if they did. Laws can be passed and enforced to keep this from happening. One piece of good news, I think, is that South Sudan will soon be an independent country. Those in the north, though, will still be subject to this sort of brutality.
I agree. I loved your blog and linked this post to my post yesterday.
ReplyDeleteIt maybe grueling to watch, but can't be anything compared to what the victim go through.Creating awareness does make a difference.
I don't know what to say. This post and the posts about Afganistan and Bangladesh just shoe the sheer cruelty of some men. You are absolutely correct, those men will never respect women. It is also true that those men can be forced to obey the law.
ReplyDeleteTHOSE MEN CAN BE FORCED TO OBEY THE LAW That is one key. It simply isn't true that first you must change hearts and then laws. The USA civil rights laws, especially the Civil Rights Act of 1964, shows that.
ReplyDeleteOnce the laws are passed and enforced , the rest follows. Too slowly to be sure, but change does come.
I wonder what effect the secession of South Sudan will have?
Hi Mai. I am reading your blogs about capital punishment and agree that it is something that should be left in the dark ages. The way certain ( essentially Muslim) countries treat women and people in general is terrible and begs for immediate change.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy your blog and find you a good writer.
Regards, Cindy