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Amina Lawal Petition
Netlore Archive:  Amnesty International disavows inaccurate 2003 email campaign on behalf of Amina Lawal, a Nigerian woman sentenced to death by stoning for allegedly committing adultery

Description:  Email flier
Status:  Oudated, inaccurate
Circulating since:  April 2003 (this version)
Analysis:  See below
 


Email example contributed by L. Skidmore, 6 May 2003:

Subject: Amnesty campaign against stoning Amina Lawa

NIGERIA

The Nigerian supreme court has upheld the death sentence for Amina Lawal, condemned for the crime of adultery on August 19th 2002, to be buried up to her neck and stoned to death.

Her death was postponed so that she could continue to nurse her baby and is now set for June 3rd. If you haven't been following this case, you might like to know that Amina's baby is regarded as the 'evidence' of her adultery. The father denied everything when he realised the trouble he was in. To find out more about sharia law, see this.

This case is being handled by the Spanish branch of Amnesty International, which is attempting to put together enough signatures to make the Nigerian government rescind the death sentence. A similar campaign saved another Nigerian woman, Safiya, condemned in similar circumstances. By March 4th the petition had amassed over 2,600,000 signatures. It will only take you a few seconds to sign Amnesty's online petition. Go to the web page:

http://www.amnistiaporsafiya.org

Enter your first name in the space marked 'nombre', last name('apellidos'), county ('provincia'), country, and In the drop down box pick Reino Unido (United Kingdom). Then click on 'Seguir' and go to the second page. There you have the option of entering your email address if you wish to receive follow-up information. In any case, be sure to click on 'aceptar' to have your name added to the petition list. Please sign the petition now, then copy this message into a new email and send it to everyone in your address book.

To translate the Spanish Amnesty website, go to babelfish and insert the web address in the appropriate space.


Comments:   Amnesty International issued a news release on May 6, 2003 disavowing this email campaign, which the human rights group says is based on inaccurate information and counterproductive.

The case of Amina Lawal, who was sentenced to death by stoning last year by a Muslim Sharia court in northern Nigeria, is currently under appeal. She is NOT scheduled to be executed "in one month," as some versions say, or on June 3 as claimed by others (see update below).

Instead of circulating this erroneous email, concerned users are advised to share the URL of Amnesty International's Act Now page on Sharia cases, which contains accurate updates on Amina Lawal's situation and suggestions for concrete action.

NOTA BENE: Contrary to some news reports, the Spanish-language Web page mentioned in the email, www.amnistiaporsafiya.org, is a legitimate Amnesty International site.

Update:   On September 25, 2003 the Katsina State Sharia Court of Appeal acquitted Amina Lawal of the crime of adultery and her death sentence was lifted.


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Sources and further reading:

False Information About Amina Lawal Campaign
Amnesty International news release, 6 May 2003

Sharia Penal Legislation in Nigeria
Amnesty International: updates on Amina Lawal case and others

Saving Amina
The Guardian (UK), 8 May 2003

Nigerian Woman Fights Stoning
BBC News, 8 July 2002

Amina Lawal Won't Be Stoned
News24.com, 25 September 2003


Last updated: 09/26/03


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