Whether you live in Kingston or Khartoum London or Lima the sentencing to death of Sharif Intisar Aabdalla a Young Female Muslim in North Sudan is a stark reminder why human rights is borderless vocation. She was sentenced to prison in April for Adultery waiting to be stoned to death under Sharia Law in Sudan. We know that her child is in prison with her but the government Ministry in Khartoum refuses to give information about her. From information received she needs psychological Therapy. Let us raise our voice in an attempt to secure her release. “Justice somewhere should be Justice everywhere”. Intisar Sharif Abdallah, whose age has not been determined but is believed to be under the age of 18, was sentenced by a judge on April 22, 2012, in the city of Omdurman, near Khartoum. Since her sentencing, she been held in Omdurman prison with her 5-month-old baby, with her legs shackled.
Her sentencing has drawn condemnation human rights groups across the word and Amnesty International has launched an appeal for her release. Africa’s director of Human Rights Watch. Daniel Bekele has lead the charge by demanding that:"Sudan should immediately reform discriminatory laws and abolish both the death penalty and all corporal punishments that violate the international treaty obligations it has promised to respect." According to Mr Bekele no one should be stoned to death - and imposing this punishment on someone who may be a child is especially shocking,"
According to credible sources in Khartoum Abdalla initially denied the charge of adultery but later confessed after she was allegedly beaten by a family member. The court relied solely on her coerced confession to convict and sentence her in a single court session, while the man alleged to have committed adultery with her denied the charges and was released. Sudan is one of only seven countries that provide death by stoning as a punishment. Sudanese judges have sentenced several women to death by stoning in recent years, but courts have overturned all the sentences on appeal. The vast majority of adultery cases and stoning sentences have been imposed on women, pointing to the disproportionate and unequal application of this law.
The crime of adultery under Muslim practiced Sharia Law has long been a bone of contention with Human Rights protagonist who regard it as draconian moreover it often attracts the death penalty which is ridiculous and cruel overreaction. On a purely human rights basis it, also violates guarantees of a woman's right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly matters related to their sexual autonomy. In other words it a private personal matter and the assumption therefore is that it’s not the courts prerogative.
Under Sudan's public order regime, women and girls may also face arrest and flogging, up to 40 lashes, if they violate article 152 of the Criminal Act prohibiting vaguely defined "indecent and immoral acts." Women have been sentenced to flogging for wearing trousers and knee-length skirts, among other acts. The Protocol to the Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa explicitly prohibits all forms of cruel, degrading, and inhuman treatment of women. The African Commission on Human and People's Rights has declared that flogging violates article 5 of the charter, which prohibits "cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment or treatment."
It is for this reason that as a human rights advocate I have launched an appeal on Face book called “The Free Intisar Sharif Abdallah Appeal” and urge my friends on Google, Twitter and face book to support this valuable appeal. I have also written to President Omar al- Bashir asking him for her Pardon and release on the Grounds of Human Rights. I have initiated this appeal because I believe that Sudan should uphold international and African standards on Human Rights .It should ban death by stoning and other corporal punishment, and revise laws that discriminate against women and girls."
In closing my readers let me reveal a secret to you that is a factual irony that sheds light on why this case appeal is so close to my heart. I was born in Jamaica in 1963 to a mother while my father was married to another woman. Should he have been stoned to death? I leave the answer to my reader’s imagination. Imagination aside -it shows how Kingston and Khartoum seem to be on different planets in terms of human rights. Finally my valuable readers I am compelled to leave you this quote from the great African American feminist Anna Julia Cooper as an apt reminder of why we should all support this appeal:
“We takeout stand on the solidarity of humanity, the oneness of life, and the unnaturalness and Justice of all special favoritisms, ether of sex, race, color and condition”. end of Quote.
Donovan Reynolds is a London based Social Worker/Human Rights Campaigner and Independent writer who has an interest in politics, and International Development issues. Readers are invited to critique or comment on this Blog, Face book, Google network or Twitter. Alternatively they may e-mail him atdannygerm63@hotmail.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment