Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Jerome Delay/AP/PA

Pregnant teenager receives jail term after being gang-raped

The jail term has been suspended because of her pregnancy but she has also been fined around €640.

A PREGNANT SUDANESE teenager has been handed a one-month jail term for “indecent acivity” after being gang-raped, according to her lawyer.

“But the sentence was suspended because she is pregnant,” Samia Hashmi told AFP.

The woman was also fined 5,000 pounds (€640).

A man whose video of others having sex with the pregnant Ethiopian teen created a rare case of Internet controversy in the conservative nation was sentenced to 40 lashes the lawyer said.

Hashmi said three men who admitted to having sex with the woman were sentenced to 100 lashes while another man who filmed the acts received the 40-lash penalty for distributing indecent material.

“He was also fined 10,000 pounds and if he doesn’t pay he will be jailed for six months,” the lawyer said, adding two other men were acquitted after the trial in Khartoum.

The video published on social media showed sex acts and some of the men laughing.

Despite the popularity of mobile messaging service WhatsApp in Sudan, this was a rare case of such a crime being publicly flaunted in the conservative nation, where women risk flogging for leaving their hair uncovered under morality laws which took effect after the 1989 Islamist-backed coup by President Omar al-Bashir.

The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA Network), a regional association of women’s groups, said the 18-year-old pregnant woman was lured to an empty property and attacked while house-hunting last year.

Arrests were made after publication of the video in January, SIHA Network said on its website.

Hala Elkarib, the group’s regional director, said the verdict reflects the substantial challenges victims of sexual violence face in pursuing justice.

“It will also serve to prevent future victims from speaking out and seeking assistance and entrenches a culture of impunity for perpetrators,” Elkarib said.

- © AFP 2014 with additional reporting by Michelle Hennessy.

Read: Thirteen in court over India gang-rape ordered by tribal leader>

Read: India to hold vigils to mark anniversary of gang-rape victim’s death>

Author
View 141 comments
Close
141 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joanna
    Favourite Joanna
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 3:58 PM

    “Anti-drunkenness serum”. Seems legit.

    157
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thomas Murphy
    Favourite Thomas Murphy
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 7:26 PM

    Where can I get some?

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlain
    Favourite Mark Gerard Lochlain
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 4:00 PM

    The wives did it

    95
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall Lonergan
    Favourite Niall Lonergan
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 4:04 PM

    Nothing to be concerned about here. I’m sure the fatality of “anti-drunkness” serum is incredibly low…

    55
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Mc Manus
    Favourite Paul Mc Manus
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 3:54 PM

    Ah the good ole Asian natural cures.

    44
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute SickOfCorruption
    Favourite SickOfCorruption
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 4:27 PM

    Once I went looking for a doctor in phnom Penn. Quacks, repeat quacks, chose to fly out instead of taking any of the medication offered!

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rasputin
    Favourite Rasputin
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 4:50 PM

    There’s always the Calmette but only if you fancy having Tiger Balm applied to something like a broken leg. Most of the forgein doctors “practicing” in Cambo have been struck off back home. You could have chanced the Royal Ankor but as you were probably a tourist you probably did the right thing in getting out. The secret to getting “good” medical attention there is to track down one of the doctors from Doctors without Borders, make a donation to whatever project they’re involved in, get a diagnosis and buy whatever you need from the chemist. Only works for ‘minor’ things like dengue, malaria or parasites though.Id hate to get the likes of acute appendicitis or anything involving emergency surgery there and not have evac insurance….

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eoin Fleming
    Favourite Eoin Fleming
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 3:58 PM

    Must have been some cocktail!

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paddy Kavanagh
    Favourite Paddy Kavanagh
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 7:28 PM

    feckin water!!

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Delaney
    Favourite James Delaney
    Report
    Jan 5th 2016, 9:49 AM

    Irish Water perhaps – very expensive water !

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony Henry
    Favourite Tony Henry
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 5:30 PM

    Nothing unusual here

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds