Group criticizes court on stoning sentence - World - Brief Article

National Catholic Reporter, Nov 9, 2001 by Gill Donovan

NIGERIA: An Islamic court in northern Nigeria violated a woman's right to sexual autonomy when it sentenced a 30-year-old pregnant woman to death by stoning for having sex without being married, according to Human Rights Watch.

The sentence Safiya Hussaini Tungar-Tudu received Oct. 23 from the court in Gwadabawa city in Sokoto state was "arbitrary" and "harsh and unacceptable," the New York-based group said.

"Women have a basic right to control their sexual autonomy," said LaShawn Jefferson, executive director of the group's women's rights division. "When a woman is punished so severely for having premarital sex, her right to make free decisions regarding her body is violated."

The group also noted, "International law strictly prohibits the imposition of capital punishment on a pregnant woman."

Before an execution date is set, Tungar-Tudu's sentence must be approved by the governor of Sokoto, the group said. Tungar-Tudu has until Nov. 8 to appeal the sentence.

The same court that sentenced Tungar-Tudu acquitted the man who allegedly impregnated her, claiming it had insufficient evidence to prosecute, Human Rights Watch reported.

Briefs, gathered from news services, correspondents and staff, are compiled and edited by Gill Donovan.