Sudanese Christian’s fine overturned, but….
By Joseph DeCaro
(Worthy News) – Last month, an appeals judge overturned the decision to fine a Sudanese Christian for indecency in court where she was appearing on a similar charge of public indecency.
According to Barnabas Aid, Fardos Al-Toum was originally arrested for indecency in June when she and eleven other Christian women were each accused of wearing immoral apparel as they left a church service in the capital city of Khartoum. But when Al-Toum appeared in court on July 6, a judge again charged her for public indecency despite the fact that a church minister had already testified that her clothing was not in violation of any Christian dress codes.
According to Article 152 of the Sudanese Criminal Code, wearing indecent apparel is “contrary to public morals if it is regarded as such according to the standard of the person’s religion or the custom of the country where the act takes place.” Violation of this code “shall be punished with whipping, not exceeding forty lashes, or with a fine, or with both.” But the vague definition of “indecent or immoral dress” allows Christian women to be unfairly targeted by the police.
Although an appeals judge overturned the trial court’s decision to bring new indecency charges against Al-Toum, she is still waiting for a decision from the appeals court regarding her previous indecency sentence of 20 lashes and a fine of 500 Sudanese Pounds.