Lubna al-Hussein

Lubna Ahmed al-Hussein is a UN journalist, activist, and vocal opponent of the Sudanese government’s treatment of women. In 2009, she became one of over 40,000 women arrested annually under Sudan’s archaic Article 152 regarding “obscene and indecent acts.” Lubna was wearing loose-fitting pants under a long blouse at the time of her arrest.

Rather than take 10 lashes at the time of her arrest, she asked to have a trial and set about bringing attention to her case, garnering support from various groups and protestors. When offered immunity due to her UN job, she rejected the deal and even offered to give up her status to keep the case going. Appealing to higher and higher courts in the land has helped Lubna in her fight to bring international attention to the mistreatment that women face from Sudanese men.