A Christian woman convicted of public indecency has had her sentence overturned in Sudan.
Ferdoos Eltoum was arrested along with 11 other women when leaving a celebration service at their church in Khartoum on June 25. Several were later found guilty of indecent or immoral dress under Article 152 of the Sudanese criminal code.
Islamic law is strictly imposed in the Sudanese capital, and women may only show their hands, feet and face. The Christians were wearing skirts and trousers, and were forced to strip naked at the police station so their garments could be submitted as evidence.
However, during her trial on July 6, the judge made no ruling on Eltoum's initial charge, instead convicting her of a second count of public indecency based on what she wore to the hearing. She was told to pay a fine of 500 Sudanese Pounds, equivalent to £54.
This sentence was overturned by an appeal judge in late September, and formally communicated by the court on October 14.
Eltoum's lawyers are now appealing a second sentence that she received on July 13. Eltoum was then convicted of the initial charge laid against her, and given another fine of 500 Sudanese Pounds, in addition to a suspended sentence of 20 lashes.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), which has been monitoring the case, said that charges of public indecency are brought disproportionately against religious and ethnic minorities in Sudan. The law is "sufficiently vague that it allows police and judges to make subjective judgments that in practice are discriminatory," a statement from the organisation said.
Mervyn Thomas, chief executive of CSW, welcomed the overturning of Eltoum's first sentence, but urged for greater freedoms for Sudanese citizens.
"We particularly remind Sudan of its obligations under Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' rights of non-discrimination on the basis of religion or gender," he said.
