arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

Nigeria: Amina Lawal's appeal case adjourned again to 25 September

On 27 August 2003, Amina Lawal's hearing of her appeal in Katsina state, northern Nigeria was once more postponed to 25 September.

"Unfortunately, this case keeps getting adjourned, which adds to the ordeal of Amina Lawal and her son who have not been able so far to lead a normal life," Amnesty International said today.

Amina Lawal and her team of lawyers were present at the hearing today and the grounds on which this latest adjournment was made is yet to be known.

Background
On 25 March 2003, the appeal of Amina Lawal's hearing in Katsina state, northern Nigeria was postponed to 3 June due to the unavailability of one of the judges. An Amnesty International delegation attended the session.

The subsequent postponement of the hearing of the appeal from 3 June to 27 August 2003 was again because of the lack of quorum of members of the tribunal.
Amina Lawal -- a Muslim woman -- was found guilty by a court in March 2002 after bearing a child outside marriage. Under Sharia Penal Legislation in place in several northern Nigerian states, this was sufficient for her to be convicted of the crime of adultery and summoned to appear before a Sharia tribunal to respond to a "crime" which now carries a punishment of death by stoning according to new Sharia penal legislations introduced in Nigeria in 1999.

For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566
Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: http://www.amnesty.org

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