Woman whipped: YouTube video from Sudan sparks outrage
A YouTube video of a Sudanese woman being whipped by a laughing guard in public has circulated the internet causing protests, media reports say.
The video of a woman dressed in a headscarf and long black cloak shows he being whipped repeatedly, screaming in pain, she yells "enough, enough", exclaiming "I want my mum".
A guard, dressed in blue uniform, is seen to be laughing as he observes the beating from the sidelines eventually deciding to take part in administering the lashings.
The nature of the woman's crime remain unclear, rumours across the internet suggest that she was being punished for wearing pants.
During the video a guard says that she will have to serve two years in prison if she doesn't accept the 53 lashings.
According to reports, flogging is a common punishment in Sudan. The circulation of this video has sparked protests locally and outrage globally.
Due to the video, 50 women protested outside the justice ministry in Sudan against laws which they say humiliate women. The women held banners peacefully before being surrounded by riot police telling them to move.
Dozens of women were reportedly arrested and taken to a nearby police station. Their lawyers were prevented from entering, but senior opposition politicians were allowed to go inside.
The women said they had tried to get permission for the protest but had been refused. The police declined to comment.
"The authorities here take the law into their own hands. No one knows what happens inside these police stations," said one of their lawyers, Mona el-Tijani in the Daily Mail.
"This video was just one example of what happens all the time."
