http://www.mertonai.org/amina/embassies.asp

Several Northern States in Nigeria have introduced new Sharia Penal Legislation. Thus, they opened the door for the application of death sentences, torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading punishments. This despite the fact that Nigeria recognises human rights standards and has signed and ratified many international human rights legal instruments. Join the campaign to spare dozens of people in Nigeria from being victims of human rights violations under the new legislation:

Amina Lawal © BBC

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 awating 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.

The first hearing of the appeal was scheduled for 27 May 2002, but adjourned twice, first to 3 June 2002 and then to 8 July 2002 after Amina Lawal's lawyer argued for an early hearing to take place instead of having the hearing postponed until next year as previously proposed by the court. Amina Lawal is still weaning her baby. 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. The terms of the bail have also been reviewed. Under these new terms for bail agreed by the court, Amina Lawal will no longer be reporting fortnightly to them. The only condition, however, is that Amina Lawal had to have a 'surety'.

Update :
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. Amnesty International has expressed its concerned at this latest development in a Press release issued on 19 August 2002 which title is Nigeria: Death by stoning upheld in the case of Amina Lawal, AFR 44/17/2002, News Service N. 145.

Amina Lawal was granted 30 days to appeal against the decision. Amina's lawyer has now filed another appeal to be certainly heard at the Upper Sharia court of appeal in Katsina. The court will have to now acknowledge receipt of the new request for appeal and decide a date for the hearing of the next appeal. The line of action should be the same:

Please write to Nigerian authorities (to both Nigerian diplomatic representatives in your country and government authorities in Nigeria) and reiterate AI's concerns about the decision of the court to uphold the sentence to death on Amina Lawal.

Please use the sample letter given below to illustrate the case of Amina Lawal.

Take Action

Please write now to the President of Nigeria and the Minister of Justice asking for the supression
of the death penalty and cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment at every level of the Nigerian legislation.

His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo,
President of the Republic,
The Presidency,
Federal Secretariat,
Phase II, Shehu Shagari Way,
Abuja;
Fax: 234 9 523 21 36 (press office)

His Excellency Kanu Godwin Agabi,
Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice,
New Federal Secretariat complex Shehu Shagari Way,
Abuja,
Federal Capital Territory,
Nigeria;
Fax: 234 9 523 52 08.
email:webmaster@nigeria.gov.ng

You may also post messages on the Nigerian Governments discussion board at http://www.nigeria.gov.ng/discussion/index.htm

Please send copies to The Nigerian Ambassador/representative or High Commissioner in your respective country

LETTER TO SEND

http://www.mertonai.org/amina/OpenLetter.htm

End Death-by-Stoning Sentences

[Merton Amnesty Group] [Campaign Info]

Open Letter to the President of Nigeria

Your Excellency, I am writing to express our concern about the sentence of death by stoning which was passed on Ms Amina Lawal, on 22 March, by a local court at Bakori in Katsina State. It was particularly distressing to learn about this judgement in view of the recent and very welcome decision by the Appeal Court in Sokoto State to uphold the appeal of Ms Safiya Hussaini, who had also been sentenced to be stoned to death. The sentence on Ms Hussaini provoked a world-wide wave of shock and revulsion. There was general disbelief that Nigerian women, living in a democracy, could be sentenced to such a cruel, inhumane and degrading punishment, which runs completely counter to the International Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane and Degrading Treatment and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. I urge you to use your wisdom of office and growing international respect to ensure that this sentence is not carried out. Please ensure that all citizens of Nigeria - men and women - are protected by the rule of law, and in accordance with international standards of human rights, from such cruel, inhumane and degrading punishments as the sentence passed on Ms Amina Lawal. Yours sincerely

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