Student files harassment complaint in Sudan’s El Gedaref

A woman student of eastern Sudan’s El Gedaref University has accused a Public Order Police officer of harassment.

South Sudanese student Nyankir Koal Mian filed a complaint against the officer at El Gedaref police on Monday.

She said he had chased her in the streets of the town. He then grabbed her and touched her breasts. Eight people witnessed the incident.

One of them told Radio Dabanga that the officer wore civilian clothes and rode in his own vehicle.

Public Order Act

The controversial Public Order police is tasked with regulating the behaviour of Sudanese citizens according to the Public Order Act, which is based on the Islamic Sharia law. The act was initiated by the Khartoum state government in 1992. Four years later, the -amended- law text was applied to all states.

Many critics say that the law is not applied uniformly and in many cases allows for abuses by public order police officers, in particular against women.

According to the Sudan Democracy First Group, the articles and provisions of the law are formulated in vague language on purpose, to give the police and the courts a free hand in its implementation.