Thursday, March 28, 2002
Sudanese adulterous woman sentenced to death by stoning has sentence commuted
A story released today by Agence France Presse reports that the nation of Sudan admitted for the first time that a young Christian woman had been condemned to death by stoning for adultery, but added that the sentence had been commuted to flogging because it was considered "inappropriate".
"The penalty was inappropriate, severe and excessive, and was consequently commuted to flogging," said Minister of Justice Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin.
It was first official statement concerning Abok Alfa Akok, 18, who was condemned by a court in the western city of Nyala on December 8 to death by stoning in line with Khartoum's interpretation of Islamic law, or sharia.
The Rome_based charitable organization Sant'Egidio and other non_government organizations including Human Rights Watch had organized a campaign to save the woman's life, but Sudanese authorities had previously kept quiet on the matter.
On February 12, after it was ordered to review its verdict by Sudan's Supreme Court, the Nyala court commuted the sentenced to flogging. The sentence was carried out the same day, with Akok receiving 75 lashes, informed source said.
The sharia law in force in Sudan is one of the main grievances of the mostly Christian and animist rebels of the Sudan People's Liberation Army, engaged in an 18_year old civil war against the Khartoum regime.
