11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Women in IDP camps often arrested for producing and selling home-brewed alcohol; they can be imprisoned up to 6 months under the Sharia law ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23004]

"Security forces often targeted southern women in IDP camps because they produced and sold traditional home‑brewed alcohol; these women were arrested and imprisoned for up to six months under Shari'a law.

Some women were held in prison until they could pay the fine, regardless of time served in prison, thereby effectively serving indefinite sentences."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Many traditional law practices and certain provisions of Sharia discriminate against women; women disadvantaged in inheritance and divorce proceedings ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19841]

"Some aspects of the law discriminated against women, including many traditional law practices and certain provisions of Shari'a as interpreted and applied by the government. In accordance with Islamic law, a Muslim woman has the right to hold and dispose of her own property without interference, and women are entitled to inheritance from their parents. However, a widow inherits one-eighth of her husband's estate; of the remaining seven-eighths, two-thirds goes to the sons and one-third to the daughters. It is much easier for men than for women to initiate legal divorce proceedings."

Document(s): Open document

20.04.2006 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

Less women stopped on street for not wearing headscarf or wearing jeans ("10th European Country of Origin Infomation Seminar Budapest, 1 - 2 December 2005: Final Report on Sudan") [#49770],  [ID 18927]

"Certain offences are being attended to by the Public Order Act, the Public Order Police and the public order courts. These are institutions, where adherence to Islamic morals is attended to by a special legislation and executive organs. In Khartoum, not so many women are stopped anymore on the street for not wearing a headscarf or wearing jeans. The situation has improved, but particularly southerners, who as Christians have different traditions and dress differently, are particularly victimised."

Document(s): Open document

20.04.2006 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

Women accused of public order offences have little possibility to defend themselves ("10th European Country of Origin Infomation Seminar Budapest, 1 - 2 December 2005: Final Report on Sudan") [#49770],  [ID 18928]

"Persons, who are accused of public order offences, have no access to legal representation and sentences are passed very quickly. Victims, mostly women, have little possibility to defend themselves. The most common punishment is lashing or whipping. So if women are picked up in the evening, in the morning they will be brought before a judge, with the sentence, like whipping, being carried out the same afternoon. Victims have no legal remedies against this practice."

Document(s): Open document

20.04.2006 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

Victims of rape prosecuted as adulterers ("10th European Country of Origin Infomation Seminar Budapest, 1 - 2 December 2005: Final Report on Sudan") [#49770],  [ID 19034]

"Victims of rape might be prosecuted as adulterers. Possible sentences for adultery are extremely harsh under sharia law."

Document(s): Open document

20.04.2006 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

Women with children born out of wedlock face prosecution for crime of adultery; they might also be subject to honour killings ("10th European Country of Origin Infomation Seminar Budapest, 1 - 2 December 2005: Final Report on Sudan") [#49770],  [ID 19042]

"The situation of women with illegitimate children is terrible. An illegitimate child means pregnancy out of wedlock, which means having committed the crime of adultery, on which – if the woman is married – the penalty is death by stoning. It seems that stoning is not practiced as frequently now as it was in the past. Today, the sentence might rather be converted into lashes and imprisonment; information on this topic is very sketchy. If the woman is unmarried and pregnant, she can be punished with 80 lashes and up to five years imprisonment. [...]
In addition, women who become pregnant out of wedlock might be subject to honour killings, which are still widespread in the countryside and less common in Khartoum. The perpetrators of honour killings are usually not punished. According to sharia, a murderer will not be sentenced if the family of the victim absolves him. If a person is murdered by her own family there is hardly any punishment."

Document(s): Open document