Sudan police arrest women protesting at flogging video

Sudanese police arrested dozens of women protesting against laws they say humiliate women after a video of a woman being flogged in public appeared on the Internet. Floggings carried out under Islamic law are almost a daily punishment in Sudan for crimes ranging from drinking alcohol to adultery. But vague laws on women's dress and behavior are implemented inconsistently. One case sparked international furor when Lubna Hussein, a Sudanese U.N. official, invited journalists to her public flogging for wearing trousers. The video, which was removed by YouTube, showed a crying Sudanese woman being lashed by two policemen in front of onlookers in a public place. She was made to kneel and the police laughed during the punishment.