The emergency court of appeals in Sudan scrapped on Tuesday a ruling to flog nine women for taking part in protests against President Omar al-Bashirs three-decade rule, a defense lawyer said. "The appeals court cancelled the punishment of flogging the women," Enaam Atieg told AFP. The court ruled that the women had already spent enough time in jail and ordered their immediate release, she said. The verdict was issued on Saturday by a lower court which had sentenced the women to 20 lashes and a month in prison each. The women were arrested on Thursday for participating in a "banned demonstration" earlier in the day in the capitals eastern district of Burri, a site of regular protests against Bashirs rule. The authorities have set up special emergency courts to investigate violations of a nationwide state of emergency, imposed by Bashir on February 22 after an initial crackdown failed to suppress the protests. On Monday, Sudanese parliament approved a six-month state of emergency across the country instead of a year as originally declared by Bashir. The president also banned all unauthorized rallies and gave sweeping powers to security forces for carrying out raids and searches. Bashir has dissolved the federal and provincial governments, and appointed 16 army officers and two security officers from the National Intelligence and Security Service as governors of the countrys 18 provinces. Protests initially broke out in Sudan on December 19 following a government decision to triple the price of bread. They quickly mushroomed into nationwide demonstrations against Bashirs rule, with crowds calling on the 75-year-old leader to step down. Bashir himself has acknowledged that the protests were led by youths, the majority of them women. Officials say 31 people have died in protest-related violence so far, while Human Rights Watch says at least 51 people have been killed including children and medics.