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Libert@s online: Issue 7
September 2002

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Nigeria: Woman Sentenced to Death by Stoning

The new President of Rights & Democracy Jean-Louis Roy has written an urgent appeal to the President of Nigeria in a bid to convince him to intervene to halt the death by stoning of a young woman convicted under Sharia law for having sex outside of marriage.

On August 19, 2002, a Sharia court or appeal upheld the sentence of death by stoning against Ms. Amina Lawal, a 30-year old mother of an eight-month old who lives in the northern town of Funtua.

In his letter, Mr. Roy urged President Olusegun Obasanjo to commute the sentence, drop all criminal charges against Ms. Lawal and to take necessary measures to ensure her safety. He also condemned the use of the death penalty which constitutes torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and contravenes Nigeria's international human rights obligations.

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