NIGERIA: CONFERMATA SENTENZA DI MORTE PER AMINA

FUNTUA, 19 AGO - Amina era stata riconosciuta colpevole di adulterio e condannata alla pena capitale il 22 marzo scorso dal tribunale di Bakoro, nello stato federale di Katsina.

La donna ha avuto, da divorziata, un terzo figlio. In base alla sharia (legge islamica), che e' in vigore in 12 stati della Nigeria, una divorziata commette adulterio se ha rapporti sessuali senza essersi risposata.

Prima di Amina un'altra donna, Safiya Husseini, era stata condannata alla morte per lapidazione con la stessa accusa, ma poi aveva ottenuto l'assoluzione in appello nel marzo scorso.

In Nigeria la corte d'appello ha ribadito
la sentenza emessa il 22 marzo scorso
Amina sarà lapidata a morte
Confermata la condanna per adulterio
Gli avvocati della donna promettono nuovi ricorsi
La sentenza non sarà eseguita prima del 2004

FUNTUA - Il sogno di libertà, anzi, il sogno di continuare a vivere, è durato meno di tre mesi. Amina Lawal 30 anni, sarà lapidata a morte perché colpevole di adulterio.

La corte d'appello islamica di Funtua, nel nord della Nigeria, ha confermato oggi la sentenza di condanna emessa il 22 marzo scorso dal tribunale di Bakoro, nello stato federale di Katsina. La donna era stata scarcerata il 6 giugno, su richiesta della difesa, perché potesse "occuparsi della figlioletta di un anno"-.

E proprio questo suo ultimo figlio, avuto dopo il divorzio, è all'origine della condanna a morte. Secondo la sharia (legge islamica), in vigore in 12 stati della Nigeria, una donna commette adulterio se ha rapporti sessuali senza essersi risposata.

Ma i legali della donna non si arrenderanno. Giorni fa hanno già annunciato che in caso di conferma della condanna a morte avrebbero fatto nuovi ricorsi: prima davanti alla corte d'appello islamica dello stato di Katsina, poi davanti alla Corte suprema della Nigeria. In tutti i modi, insomma, proveranno a dimostrare che la loro assistita "ha concepito la figlia prima dell' introduzione della sharia , anche se la nascita, 'prova' dell'adulterio, è avvenuta dopo". La condanna a morte, comunque, non potrà essere eseguita prima del gennaio 2004. Nella evidente disumanità della pena suona come un paradosso la decisione già presa dai giudici islamici di consentire alla donna di allevare la piccola Wasila, nata nel dicembre 2001.

In assenza di fatti nuovi, Amina sarebbe la prima donna in Nigeria ad essere mandata a morte. Prima di lei Safiya Husseini, che era stata condannata con la stessa accusa, aveva ottenuto l'assoluzione in appello proprio nel giorno in cui l'altra veniva condannata a morte. Entrambi i casi hanno suscitato una vasta mobilitazione in Occidente che ora, dopo la decisione della corte di Funtua, tornerà a farsi sentire con forza.
(19 agosto 2002)

Nigerian Woman Loses Appeal Against Stoning Death

 Aug 19, 2002

FUNTUA, Nigeria - An Islamic court in northern Nigeria ruled Monday that a young woman must face death by stoning for having a child outside marriage.

"We hereby uphold the judgement of the (lower) Bakori Sharia court that decreed that you be sentenced to death by stoning," the president of the Upper Sharia court told the woman, Amina Lawal Kurami, 31.

But the judge, Abdullahi Aliyu Katsina, said the stoning would not be carried out until Kurami had weaned her eight-month-old baby, which may not be for another two years.

Holding the child in her arms, Kurami remained calm and was quickly whisked away by her lawyers who said they would appeal the decision.

The introduction of Sharia or Islamic law has been controversial in the largely Muslim north of Nigeria where more than 3,000 people have died in Muslim-Christian clashes in the past three years. Kurami's case has sparked international outrage and risks stoking religious tensions.

Nigeria's stoning appeal fails

Amina Lawal's lawyers are still hopeful

An Islamic appeal court has upheld a sentence of death by stoning for adultery against a Nigerian woman. Amina Lawal, 30, was found guilty by a court in Katsina state in March after bearing a child outside marriage.

This judgement will be carried out as soon as your baby is weaned

Judge Aliyu Abdullahi The BBC's Dan Isaacs, reporting from the court in Funtua, northern Nigeria, says that the court's ruling can only serve to heighten tensions between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria.

The introduction of Islamic holy law - or Sharia - in northern Nigeria's mostly Muslim states in the past two years has sparked violence in which hundreds of people have been killed.

Our correspondent says Monday's ruling has come as a surprise and human rights groups have promised to take the case to a higher court.

They have 30 days to lodge an appeal.

This case could now end up in the supreme court in Abuja, where central government has declared such harsh Sharia judgement unconstitutional.

Tears

A cry of "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) rang out in the courtroom when judge Aliyu Abdullahi ordered that Amina be executed once she has weaned her eight-month-old daughter Wasila, reports the French news agency, AFP.

She was led away in tears.

Women's rights groups say Sharia is harsh for women

"I'm not happy at all. We thought they were going to discharge her," said Clara Obazele, a spokeswoman for Aisha Ismail, the federal government's minister for women's affairs.

"We're going to appeal the judgement."

No one has yet been stoned to death for adultery in Nigeria.

A woman convicted under very similar circumstances last year won her appeal a few months ago.

Several thieves have however had their hands amputated.

Supporters of Sharia say they will not be deflected from upholding laws they see as the will of God.

Woman loses stoning death appeal

August 19, 2002

FUNTUA, Nigeria, Aug 19 (Reuters) -- An Islamic court in northern Nigeria has ruled that a young woman must face death by stoning for having a child outside marriage.

"We hereby uphold the judgment of the (lower) Bakori Sharia court that decreed that you be sentenced to death by stoning," the president of the Upper Sharia court told the woman, Amina Lawal Kurami, 31, on Monday.

But the judge, Abdullahi Aliyu Katsina, said the stoning would not be carried out until Kurami had weaned her eight-month-old baby, which may not be for another two years.

Holding the child in her arms, Kurami remained calm and was quickly whisked away by her lawyers who said they would appeal against the decision.

The introduction of Sharia or Islamic law has been controversial in the largely Muslim north of Nigeria where more than 3,000 people have died in Muslim-Christian clashes in the past three years. Kurami's case has sparked international outrage and risks stoking religious tensions.

France Press

lundi 19 aout 2002,

Nigéria: peine de mort pour une femme accusée d'adultère

 FUNTUA (Nigeria) (AFP) - La Cour d'appel islamique de Funtua (Etat de Katsina, nord du Nigeria) a confirmé lundi la condamnation à mort par lapidation d'une jeune femme pour adultère.

Suivant le jugement en première instance, le juge Aliyu Abdullahi a ordonné que Amina Lawal, 30 ans, soit exécutée par lapidation à partir de janvier 2004, une fois qu'elle aura élevée sa fillette de huit mois, Wasila.

A la lecture du verdict, le public présent dans la salle d'audience s'est exclamé "Allah est grand", tandis que la condamnée fondait en larmes. Les avocats de la défense ont annoncé qu'ils déposeront un nouvel appel contre ce jugement.

Si cette condamnation est appliquée, Amina Lawal, 30 ans, serait la première Nigériane exécutée par lapidation depuis l'introduction de la Charia (loi islamique) dans douze Etats du nord du Nigeria ces trois dernières années. Amina Lawal avait été condamnée à mort le 22 mars dernier par le tribunal de Bakori, dans l'Etat de Katsina, parce qu'elle avait avoué attendre un troisième enfant alors qu'elle était divorcée et mère de deux enfants.

Selon la charia, une femme mariée une première fois, même si elle a divorcé, commet un adultère si elle a des relations sexuelles sans être remariée. La grossesse est la seule preuve requise.

Son cas est la deuxième affaire dans laquelle une femme est condamnée à la lapidation pour adultère aux termes de la Charia, dans un pays où les relations entre communautés chrétienne et musulmane sont extrêmement tendues.

Ses avocats espéraient pouvoir convaincre la Cour d'appel d'infirmer le jugement de première instance, comme l'avait fait une autre Cour d'appel islamique pour Safiya Husseini, 25 ans, condamnée à la lapidation pour les mêmes motifs et acquittée en appel en mars dernier.

Ils avaient promis que si la Cour de la petite ville de Funtua, à 300 km au nord de la capitale Abuja, choisissait de confirmer la condamnation à mort, ils intenteraient un nouveau recours - devant la Cour d'appel islamique de l'Etat de Katsina, puis devant la Cour suprême du Nigeria.

Mais Amina, malade et sous pression depuis des mois, avait déclaré aux journalistes lors de la dernière audience, le 6 août, qu'elle accepterait le verdict de la cour, quel qu'il soit. "Je m'en remets à Allah", avait-elle conclu, tout en berçant son bébé dans ses bras devant le bâtiment en béton du tribunal.

Plutôt que de remettre en cause la Charia et la compétence de la Cour, les défenseurs d'Amina, un avocat d'Abuja et un expert en Charia, ont préféré arguer que l'accusation était infondée. La défense plaide qu'Amina Lawal a conçu son enfant avant l'instauration de la charia dans l'Etat de Katsina, même si sa naissance, preuve de son "adultère", est survenue après.

Le procureur, Isma'il Ibrahim, avait quant à lui, lors de l'audience du 6 août, demandé à la cour de confirmer la sentence prononcée par le tribunal islamique de Bakori.

La Cour d'appel islamique de Funtua a d'ores et déjà décidé que, quel que soit son verdict, l'exécution ne pourrait avoir lieu avant janvier 2004 pour permettre à Amina d'élever sa dernière fille, Wasila, née en décembre 2001. Les défenseurs des droits de l'Homme et certaines organisations internationales ont tiré la sonnette d'alarme, soulignant que le cas d'Amina démontrait clairement que la loi islamique, telle qu'appliquée au Nigeria, discriminait les femmes.

Depuis le retour du gouvernement civil en 1999, douze Etats du nord - où les musulmans sont majoritaires - ont remis en vigueur la Charia, attisant les tensions entre communautés chrétienne et musulmane, et provoquant des émeutes qui ont fait plusieurs centaines de morts. Malgré une tentative pour déclarer inconstitutionnelle la loi islamique, le gouvernement fédéral a pour le moment évité la confrontation directe avec les gouverneurs de ces Etats.