Nigeria: New Sharia case Unmarried mother sentenced to death A Nigerian court's decision to uphold the verdict of death by stoning of Amina Lawal for adultery is a cruel and inhuman application of Sharia law, says Human Rights Watch, and an abuse of the law to punish women for consensual sex. "The death penalty is never an appropriate punishment for a crime, and, in this instance, the very nature of the crime is in doubt." Make your own protest. http://www.indexonline.org/ Index on Censorship online at www.indexoncensorship.org Express your concern for the plight of Amina Lawal, sentenced to death from stoning by a Sharia court in the state of Katsina in northern Nigeria for having engaged in sex outside marriage. The government used her pregnancy as evidence of her having committed adultery. Ms. Lawal now has an eight-month old child. Human Rights Watch argues that: In this case the legal system is being abused to punish adult women for consensual sex. The death penalty is never an appropriate punishment for a crime, especially where, as in this instance, the very nature of the crime is in doubt. The Nigerian government should commute the death sentence of Amina Lawal and drop the criminal charges against her. Appeals protesting the sentencing should be sent to the following: His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo, President of the Republic The Presidency Federal Secretariat Phase II Shehu Shagari Way Abuja, Federal Capital Territory Nigeria Fax: + 234 9 523 21 36 (press office) Email: president.obasanjo@nigeriagov.org. 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 Minister Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim, Minister of Justice and Attorney General New Federal Secretariat Building, 10th Floor Federal Secretariat Block 1, Wing 1-B Shehu Shagari Way Abuja, Federal Capital Territory Nigeria Fax: c/o Ministry of Foreign Affairs + 234 9 523 0394 / 0210 If possible please send copies of your appeals to: The diplomatic representative for Nigeria in your country. Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible. Copyright © 2002 Send the fuckers a translation of Apster if you can.TIA.pr.