Muslim youth rally for Lawal
2003-09-24 20:59
Durban - Muslim communities in South Africa on Wednesday called for the woman facing a death sentence in Nigeria for having a child out of wedlock to be pardoned - and raised questions about the whereabouts of the child's father.
A Nigerian Islamic court is expected to give its verdict on Thursday on Amina Lawal's appeal against a death sentence by stoning for adultery.
The issue has split Muslim communities around the world with modernist and conservatives clashing over the interpretations of adultery in the Qu'ran and the penalties that can be meted out.
As D-day approaches for the young village housewife, waiting for the outcome from the Shari'ah Appeal Court in Katsina, the Muslim Youth Movement (MYM) and the ANC's Women's League in South Africa have voiced their support for her appeal.
Confident
Although Lawal's legal team and other jurists around the world are confident that she will be acquitted on her second appeal in a case which has triggered international controversy, if they are wrong, Lawal will be the first Nigerian to be stoned to death in the three years since 12 mainly-Muslim states in the north of the giant west African country began to reintroduce Sharia law.
The MYM said in a statement on Wednesday the organisation disagreed in the "strongest terms" with the manner in which the case had been handled.
"We do not believe that the manner in which it has been dealt with is Islamic: the very strict Islamic rules of evidence and due process were not followed.
"Nor do we believe that there is anything Islamic about the stoning sentence on her.
Where is the man?
"No such punishment is prescribed in the Qu'ran.
"Further, we join many people around the world in asking: where is the man in this case?" the MYM said.
The organisation said the Qu'ranic prescription on adultery and fornication was meant to protect women against unjust accusations, not subject them to discriminatory sentencing that had "nothing to do with the justice of the shari'ah.
"We call on the judiciary in Katsina state and the state governor to ensure that Amina Lawal is pardoned and that the Islamic attitude of compassion and proper rule of law applies in this case and all other such cases", the MYM said.
The MYM was also concerned, however, about the effectiveness of the ANC Women's League campaign in the Lawal case.
This concern arose from an appeal from Baobab, the women's rights organisation representing Lawal, for outsiders to carefully consider their responses.
- SAPA