End the Torture of Women in Northern Nigeria by Amnesty International 9:30am 7th Aug, 2003   Hearing on AMINA LAWAL - 27 AUGUST 2003.    AMINA LAWAL, a 30 year-old Muslim woman, was sentenced on Friday 22 March 2002 to stoning to death by a Shari'ah court at Bakori in Katsina State in northern Nigeria.    Amina allegedly confessed to having had a child while divorced. Pregnancy outside of marriage constitutes sufficient evidence for a woman to be convicted of adultery according to the new Shari'ah-based penal code for Muslims, introduced in Katsina State.    The man named as the father of her baby girl reportedly denied having sex with her and his confession was enough for the charges against him to be discontinued. Amina did not have a lawyer during her first trial, when the judgement was passed. But she has now filed an appeal against her sentence with the help of a lawyer hired by a pool of Nigerian human rights and women's rights organisations. Amina is awaiting trial at home. The Shari'ah Court of Appeal of Funtua, Katsina State, set 27 May as the date for the hearing of Amina's appeal against her sentence to death by stoning.    Amina Lawal is still weaning her baby. Although Amina is not in detention, such a long adjournment of the case would have not served any useful purpose and would have deepened the climate of uncertainty created by the whole process.    On 19 August 2002, a Sharia court of appeal in Funtua took the decision to uphold the sentence of death by stoning imposed on Amina Lawal. This confirmation of the sentence has shocked the civil society in and outside Nigeria, especially all those who have been actively campaigning for Amina's rights to be protected..    The Nigerian Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence for Amina Lawal, condemned for the crime of adultery on August 19th 2002, to be buried up to her neck and stoned to death. Her death was postponed so that she could continue to nurse her baby. Hearing on her Execution is now set for 27 AUGUST 2003.    If you haven't been following this case, you might like to know that Amina's baby is regarded as the 'evidence' of her adultery. Amina's case is being handled by the Spanish branch of Amnesty International, which is attempting to put together enough signatures to make the Nigerian government rescind the death sentence. A similar campaign saved another Nigerian woman, Safiya, condemned in similar circumstances. By March 4th the petition had amassed over 2,600,000 signatures. It will only take you a few seconds to sign Amnesty's online petition. Please sign the petition now.    Join the Petition to End the Torture of women in northern Nigeria    His Excellency; Dr Rufai A O SOULE    High Commissioner for the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 26 Guilfoyle Street. Yarralumla ACT 2600    Your Excellency,    I am deeply concerned about the pernicious effects on human beings and on their rights of the introduction of the new Sharia- based Penal Codes in Northern Nigeria. These new codes establish the death penalty for crimes such as adultery and introduce cruel, inhumane and degrading punishments such as flogging and amputation.    All these punishments are in breach of international human rights instruments signed and ratified by your Government, for that reason, I kindly call on your Government to take all necessary measures to secure respect for the rule of law in every part of Nigeria which includes respect for the prohibition on torture and cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment and punishment, such as the practice of corporal punishment. The Nigerian government should also make death penalty a thing of the past.    The government of Nigeria must also ensure that no-one is discriminated against before the law on grounds of his or her religion, sex or social status.    I also call on the Federal Government of the Republic of Nigeria to exert in due time its prerogative of mercy to ensure that Amina Lawal, and all the people who have been sentenced to death under any penal legislation in Nigeria, are not executed under any circumstance. All of them have the right to a fair trial, including the right of appeal. Visit the related web page
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