AFP

Sudan: Woman At Risk of Death by Stoning

In Arab Countries, International Advocacy Program by CIHRS

Mariam Tirab, 20 years old woman from Sudan was sentenced to death by stoning on June 27th, 2022. She was found guilty By a judge in Kosty in White Nile state of violating article 146(2) (Adultery). The young woman was arrested in 2021, when a police officer interrogated her without informing her that her confession will be used against her in court. She has been tried without access to legal representation and was not informed about the charges and the penalty of the crime of adultery (Zina) in Sudanese laws. She was denied her constitutional and legal rights under the Sudanese laws.

Article 146 of the Sudanese criminal law is built on the Sharia laws, where married women charged with adultery are sentenced to death by stoning, while unmarried women are punished by 100 lashes. Despite the legal reforms of 2020, wherein the transitional government banned corporal punishments, the Sharia laws related to adultery remained unchanged.

Mariam Tirab was sentenced even though she was not granted access to proper legal aid or provided with basic information about her rights. Her confession was obtained by police through illegal procedures. The legal procedures and the justice system is failing women in Sudan, denying many access to their basic right of having fair trial. A group of lawyers and women’s rights organizations have started an appeal of the case at the higher court. In the last 10 years, Sudan witnessed several cases similar to Mariam’s where the sentences were overturned when they were appealed.. Under the current military regime, the justice system in Sudan is at its worst, , as unfair and politicized trials are the norm. The lack of a civilian government in the country for almost a year is increasing challenges for local WHRDs and human rights groups are exerting pressure on the military regime to reform the justice system.

Since the military coup on October 25th, 2021, systemic violence against women increased across the country. The return of fundamental Islamic leaders to the political scene in support of the military led to an increase in oppression of women’s rights. The police force under the Public Order Laws was recreated under a new name – “social police”, which is considered a major set back for women’s rights in Sudan.. Women and girls’ are constantly being scrutinized for what they wear and how they appear in public. University officials have imposed
dress codes and prevented some female students from entering the gates without a scarf. The former regime imposed hijab in Sudan for three decades prior to the revolution in 2018. Within one year of the military coup, women in Sudan are living under the same oppressive system once again. The military leaders are closing the public spaces, using repressive laws to crush the resistance movement led by women.
A visit to Mariam Tirab in prison was prevented by a judge recently. She is detained in Kosty city of white Nile state under inhumane prison conditions. Women’s rights and human rights groups started a campaign and organized protests calling for her release and for legal reforms that respect women rights.

We the undersigned groups and Individuals call on the Sudanese authorities to;

  • Overturn the sentence against Mariam Tirab and grant her the right to fair trial and access to lawyers and visits.
  • Abide by and respect their obligations to international laws as state parties of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Right and the UN Convention against the Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT).
  • We call on relevant UN Special Procedures mandate holders and OHCHR to take action to urge Sudanese authorities to overturn this sentence and end violations of the international human rights law and respect the state obligations to protect women and human rights.

Signatories:

  1. AWID ( Association of Women in Development)
  2. CIVICUS
  3. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
  4. Global Fund for Women
  5. International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
  6. Women Living Under Muslim Laws
  7. WHRDMENA Coalition
  8. Canadian Federation of University Women
  9. Collectif genevois de la Grève féministe
  10. CONCERNED NIGERIANS
  11. Sisters Trust
  12. Nora organization for compacting violence against women’s and girls Alharisat organization
  13. Sudanese Women Rights Action
  14. İnsan Hakları Derneği (İHD)/Human Rights Association Hafidha Chekir, FIDH/Tunis
  15. Taha Metwally/ANKH Association
  16. Arefe Elyasi /Open Stadiums
  17. Nedal Alsalman /BCHR
  18. Razan Nour/ Innovation for Change Middle East and North Africa Sawsan Salim/ KMEWO
  19. Rajaa ahlafi /Adala association for the right to a fair trial Onaheed Ahmed /Sudanese Front For Change
  20. Nizam Assaf/Amman Center for Human Rights Studies Ahmed Mefreh/Committee for Justice
  21. Cecilie Olivia Buchhave/KVINFO
  22. Connie Carøe Christiansen/KVINFO
  23. Vanessa Mendoza cortés/ Associació Stop violències Andorra Sama Aweidah/Women’s Studies Centre
  24. Meriam Mastour/Les Foulards Violets
  25. Zohra Triki/Doustourna
  26. Sofie Birk/KVINFO
  27. Marieme helie lucas/ Secularism Is A Women’s issue (siawi.org) Mémoire et citoyenneté
  28. Equality Now
  29. Hagir Omer, Madania
  30. Mashair Saeed/WHRD
  31. Mamoun Elgizouli
  32. Sara Abdelgalil/WHRD
  33. Jihad Mashamoun/Researcher
  34. Sally Armstrong/ Journalist
  35. Ibrahim Bella
  36. Ammar Abbas
  37. Sara López/WLUML
  38. Anniesa Hussain/WLUML
  39. Yussef Robinson/ SDfHR
  40. Elie Losleben
  41. Abramovich Fabienne/Collectif féministe
  42. Stéphanie Friedli/Collectif genevois de la Grève féministe Aude Spang/Collectif genevois de la Grève féministe / Syndicat Unia

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