Amnesty International is gravely concerned at yesterday's decision by a Sharia court of appeal in Funtua in Katsina State, Nigeria, to uphold the sentence of death by stoning imposed on Amina Lawal, a young Nigerian woman who is alleged to have had a child out of wedlock.
"This judgement is incompatible with the Nigerian constitution and also with Nigeria's legal obligations under international human rights law and the African Charter for Human and People Rights," the organization said, adding that "the practice of stoning to death is the ultimate form of torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment prohibited by both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention against Torture."
Amnesty International is strongly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances on the grounds that it represents the ultimate cruel inhuman and degrading punishment and violates the right to life
Amina Lawal has now been granted 30 days to appeal against the decision.
Amnesty International is asking the Nigerian government to ensure that Amina Lawal enjoys her full rights of appeal in accordance with Nigeria's obligations under international human rights law, including article 6 (2) of the ICCPR and the safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty.
"This judgement is incompatible with the Nigerian constitution and also with Nigeria's legal obligations under international human rights law and the African Charter for Human and People Rights," the organization said, adding that "the practice of stoning to death is the ultimate form of torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment prohibited by both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention against Torture."
Amnesty International is strongly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances on the grounds that it represents the ultimate cruel inhuman and degrading punishment and violates the right to life
Amina Lawal has now been granted 30 days to appeal against the decision.
Amnesty International is asking the Nigerian government to ensure that Amina Lawal enjoys her full rights of appeal in accordance with Nigeria's obligations under international human rights law, including article 6 (2) of the ICCPR and the safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty.