Yesterday, January 25, the unknown aimed a shoe at Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. According to AFP, a man in his fifties took off his shoe and threw it at Sudanese leader who arrived for the event in Khartoum.

The malefactor’s shoe missed the target and he was immediately detained by security officers. In March, 2009 the pre-trial chamber of the International Criminal court issued a writ against al-Bashir accused of crimes against humanity as well as military offences.

In Eastern world shoe throwing is perceived as disrespect. This gesture became common in Baghdad, when in 2008 an Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi threw his shoe at the U.S. President George Bush. The latter dodged and the journalist was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. This extraordinary action by the journalist made him a national hero in a number of Arabian states, whereas his shoe – the staple of conversations and jokes.

S.T.