June 25, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – More 25 people were shortly arrested by the Sudanese authorities in the capital Khartoum after performing the first mixed-gender fashion show on Thursday.

The arrest took place the organization of the show in a popular Khartoum club on Thursday evening. Fashion shows are not a novelty in the Sudanese capital, but it was the first to feature male and female models parading under the same roof there.

"I spent the night in jail but it is not clear why they arrested us," Sudan-born male model Rashad el-Nimeiry, who holds US nationality, told AFP on Friday after his release with all the arrested people.

The model further wondered "We were decently dressed. There were wedding clothes".

During Thursday’s fashion show, male models showed Western outfits, parading with their shirts unbuttoned, while their female counterparts wore classical party clothes.

There was no immediate explanation from police on Friday as to why they were arrested. However, many were told to appear on Sunday before the state prosecutor amid speculation that they could be charged with indecency.

One of arrested model said prison guards insulted them. "In prison, the guards called me ’you gay’," he said.

Asked if they had been accused of specific crime or any violation of the law, many of the arrested said ignoring the reason.

"I don’t know what will happen on Sunday. This (fashion show) is a new thing in Sudan and they don’t know what to do with us," a model said.

Islamic law implemented only in northern Sudan stipulates a maximum of 40 lashes for wearing clothing deemed to be indecent.

(ST)