Save woman sentenced to death by stoning in Sudan

SATURDAY, MAY 26, 2012

URGENT APPEAL for woman sentenced to death by stoning in Sudan

A 20-year old Sudanese woman was sentenced to death by stoning on 13 May, on charges of adultery. She did not have access to a lawyer during her trial, and was convicted based on testimony she gave after being beaten by her brother. She is being detained with her baby. She in psychological distress and does not understand the nature of her sentence.

The criminal court of Ombada, Khartoum state, central Sudan sentenced Intisar Sharif Abdallah to death by stoning on 13 May on charges of adultery, under article 146 of Sudan's criminal code of 1991. She had initially pleaded not guilty, but admitted to the charges at a later hearing after she was reportedly beaten by her brother. The conviction was based solely on this testimony. During her trial, Intisar Sharif Abdallah was denied access to a lawyer. She also had no access to an interpreter, despite the fact that she has a limited knowledge of Arabic, which is not her native language.

Intisar Sharif Abdallah, who has three children, is being detained with her youngest son, who is four months old. Her two other children are in the custody of her family. It is unclear when the authorities intend on carrying out the sentence. Members of Intisar Sharif Abdallah's family are in the process of filing an appeal at the Court of Appeals of Ombada. The death sentence was imposed in violation of international law standards, and an execution would violate both international and Sudanese law.

Please write immediately in Arabic, English or your own language:

- Calling on the authorities to stop the execution of Intisar Sharif Abdallah; to overturn her stoning sentence for "adultery while married" and release her immediately and unconditionally;

- Urging the government to have the best interests of Intisar Sharif Abdallah's child as their primary consideration during the judicial process and until she is released;

- Stressing that under international law the execution of people after a trial that does not meet international fair trial standards is a violation of the right to life, and the execution of nursing mothers is likewise prohibited under international law;

- Calling on the Sudan government to establish an official moratorium on executions in the country, with a view to abolish the death penalty, in line with the growing global trend and UN General Assembly resolutions, and urging the President to commute all existing death sentences.