A woman in Sudan has been sentenced to death by stoning – the first known case in the country in almost ten years.
Maryam Alsyed Tiyrab, 20, was interrogated and taken into custody by law enforcement in Sudan’s White Nile state last month after allegedly confessing to cheating on her husband.
The Kosti Criminal Court listened to her case on June 26, where she was found guilty of breaking Sudan's adultery laws and was convicted to the horrific death sentence.
In Sudan, adultery is considered repugnant on social, religious, moral, and legal grounds. The majority of stoning sentences are predominantly against women.
Tiyab was investigated after she separated from her husband and moved back to her home. She is now appealing against the criminal court decision to the High Court which is yet to approve the sentence.
The last stoning sentence in Sudan was passed in 2013 when a woman was arrested for adultery. The ruling was later overturned by the High Court, as most death by stoning cases are.
The recent sentence has sparked a backlash as campaigners fear it is a sign that the military coup in October is ushering in a reversal of the few improvements for women’s rights made under the country’s transitional government.
The African Center for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS), based in Uganda, spoke about the sentence and said it violated domestic and international law and called for Tiyrab’s "immediate and unconditional release".
The center also exclaimed that the young woman was not offered a fair trial and was not informed that her statement during interrogation would be utilized against her. Tiyrab was also prohibited from having legal representation, it said.
"The application of the death penalty by stoning for the crime of adultery is a grave violation of international law, including the right to life and the prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment," the center said.
Human rights lawyer Jehanne Henry told The Guardian that the recent case showcases just how extreme sharia laws are being enforced in the country.
"The death by stoning case is a reminder that the criminal law reforms during the transition [government] were not complete, and that such harsh, archaic punishments are still officially on the books," Henry added.
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