Ed Harrow
09-05-2002, 07:51 PM
Your Excellency,
I am writing to express our concern about the sentence of death by stoning which was passed on Ms Amina Lawal, on 22 March, by a local court at Bakori in Katsina State.
It was particularly distressing to learn about this judgement in view of the recent and very welcome decision by the Appeal Court in Sokoto State to uphold the appeal of Ms Safiya Hussaini, who had also been sentenced to be stoned to death.
The sentence on Ms Hussaini provoked a world-wide wave of shock and revulsion. There was general disbelief that Nigerian women, living in a democracy, could be sentenced to such a cruel, inhumane and degrading punishment, which runs completely counter to the International Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane and Degrading Treatment and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
I urge you to use your wisdom of office and growing international respect to ensure that this sentence is not carried out.
Please ensure that all citizens of Nigeria - men and women - *are protected by the rule of law, and in accordance with international standards of human rights, from such cruel, inhumane and degrading punishments as the sentence passed on Ms Amina Lawal.
Yours sincerely
I believe this to be legit - you can sign by clicking here: http://www.mertonai.org/amina/OpenLetter.htm
[ 09-05-2002, 08:52 PM: Message edited by: Ed Harrow ]
I am writing to express our concern about the sentence of death by stoning which was passed on Ms Amina Lawal, on 22 March, by a local court at Bakori in Katsina State.
It was particularly distressing to learn about this judgement in view of the recent and very welcome decision by the Appeal Court in Sokoto State to uphold the appeal of Ms Safiya Hussaini, who had also been sentenced to be stoned to death.
The sentence on Ms Hussaini provoked a world-wide wave of shock and revulsion. There was general disbelief that Nigerian women, living in a democracy, could be sentenced to such a cruel, inhumane and degrading punishment, which runs completely counter to the International Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane and Degrading Treatment and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
I urge you to use your wisdom of office and growing international respect to ensure that this sentence is not carried out.
Please ensure that all citizens of Nigeria - men and women - *are protected by the rule of law, and in accordance with international standards of human rights, from such cruel, inhumane and degrading punishments as the sentence passed on Ms Amina Lawal.
Yours sincerely
I believe this to be legit - you can sign by clicking here: http://www.mertonai.org/amina/OpenLetter.htm
[ 09-05-2002, 08:52 PM: Message edited by: Ed Harrow ]