Lubna al-Hussein is a Sudanese journalist and activist who gained international attention in July 2009 when she was prosecuted for wearing trousers. At the time of her arrest, al-Hussein worked for the media department of the United Nations mission in Sudan and was known for her outspoken criticism of the government’s gender-discriminatory policies. In July 2009, she and 12 others were taken into custody for “dressing indecently in public”—an offense punishable by flogging. Hussein refused to plead guilty and demanded a trial, which posed the risk of 40 lashes. When the court fined her for her behavior, she chose to remain in prison but was ultimately freed by the government as a result of immense international pressure.
