The trial of Lubna Hussein was postponed for the second time yesterday. Under the pretext of attempting to determine whether Hussein had truly revoked her immunity from prosecution when she resigned from her UN position, the authorities have bought more time to find a face-saving resolution to the debacle. This is looking more and more unlikely as Hussein's campaign gathers momentum both at home and abroad.
Initially, she was viewed as something of a loose cannon in Khartoum. So many before her had suffered the pot luck fate of flogging and retreated to lick their wounds in private for fear of attracting more shame and indignity. In a naturally demure and modest society, any suggestion of inappropriate behaviour leaves a woman with no option but to try and minimise the damage to her reputation and quell the "no smoke without fire" whispers.
But now that spell has been broken. Around 50 female protesters braved tear gas and baton beatings from police outside court yesterday, tying their fate to Lubna's. An ancillary case is brewing as another journalist faces an exorbitant fine for criticising the government's handling of the case. By breaking through the self-imposed barrier of fear of what others would think, Lubna has stripped her punishment of all its power and turned the tables spectacularly. If ultimately she is flogged her "martyrdom" will be complete – if she is found innocent the government will be humiliated and public order laws made a mockery of.
Aspects of the story have now taken on the quality of urban legend. There are whispers of government emissaries dispatched to her house in the dead of night in an effort to hammer out a deal, but that Hussein would not countenance any solution involving acceptance of her guilt. The support has now evolved from a woman's movement into a comprehensive one with political elements relishing the opportunity to embarrass a government hiterto immune from criticism. The case offers the perfect opportunity to criticise the system of laws under the cover of what is widely believed to be a morally justified campaign. "It is good to see [the government] squirm" a realtive said to me, as local trial tourists drove past the court to witness police beating supporters and allegedly at one point, one of Hussein's female lawyers. Using religion as excuse for tyranny in social affairs has unintentionally resulted in the public using this case as an excuse for political dissent.
The new date for the trial, 7 September, falls in the middle of Ramadan. This will work in Hussein's favour. Ramadan is a month when Muslims are supposed to renounce violence and refrain from all intolerant behaviour, dedicating the fast to peaceful contemplation. Perhaps the government will invoke its faux piety and use this as an excuse to delay the trial yet again if no other solution can be negotiated in the meantime. Hopefully, the momentum the case has captured will not ease. Flogged or found innocent, the world will be watching.
Nesrine Malik, a Sudanese-born writer.