Stop Sudan Stoning Death Sentence against Intisar Sharif Abdallah
- by: Eiman Zein-Elabdin
- recipient: Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, President of Sudan; Mohammed Bushara Dousa, Minister of Justice; Jalal al-Din Mohammed Osman, Chief Justice
On May 13, 2012, a criminal court in Khartoum, Sudan sentenced to death by stoning Intisar Sharif Abdallah, a young married mother of three children. The charge was adultery (Zina), under article 146 of Sudan’s criminal code of 1991. Intisar initially denied the charge but later confessed after she was severely beaten by her brother who instigated the case. She was sentenced after one court session, without access to a lawyer or an interpreter even though she has limited knowledge of Arabic. The man co-accused with her was released, while Intisar is chained and imprisoned in Omdurman women’s prison, together with her infant.
The stoning judgment is uncommon and ruthless under Islamic Sharia law, normally requiring stringent standards for establishing guilt. The imposed stoning death sentence is the result of an unfair, mock trial that violates international and Sudanese law standards.
The Sudanese Criminal Code is applied arbitrarily and improperly. It disproportionately targets women, the poor, and ethnic and religious minorities such as Intisar. Join your voice to call on the Sudanese authorities to stop the proceedings against Intisar, overturn her death sentence, and release her immediately and unconditionally.
Mohammed Bushara Dousa
Minister of Justice

Ministry of Justice,

PO Box 302
 Al Nil Avenue,

Khartoum,
 Sudan

Email: info@sudanjudiciary.org
Jalal al-Din Mohammed Osman
Chief Justice
Ministry of Justice

Al-Jamha Street
, Khartoum

Khartoum state 931
 Sudan

Your Excellency,
We respectfully submit this petition to protest the unjust treatment and grave sentence against Intisar Sharif Abdallah. We have learned that on May 13, 2012, Judge Sami Ibrahim Shabo of Ombada General Criminal Court in Omdurman sentenced to death by stoning Intisar Sharif Abdallah, a married mother of three children, the youngest is 4 months old. The charge was Zina, having a relationship with and being impregnated by a man who is not her husband, under article 146 of Sudan’s criminal code of 1991. We have also learned that Intisar, said to be 17-20 years old, denied the charge but later on confessed after she was severely beaten by her brother who brought the case against her. She was sentenced after one court session. She did not have access to a lawyer, nor to an interpreter even though she has a limited knowledge of Arabic, which is not her native language. The man co-accused with her was released, while Intisar is currently chained and imprisoned in Omdurman women’s prison, together with her infant. We are extremely concerned that these proceedings fail to meet international and Sudanese standards for due judicial process and fair trial.
Your Excellency knows that the stoning judgment is severe and uncommon under Islamic Sharia law. It requires the stringent conditions for establishing guilt. We plead to your highest sense of justice and mercy to intervene and stop the proceedings against Intisar Sharif Abdallah, overturn her stoning death sentence, and release her. We hope that you take the best interest of Intisar Sharif Abdallah’s young children and infant as your primary consideration during the judicial process and until she is released. At the very least, we hope she is given access to adequate and meaningful legal representation and due process.
Respectfully,
The undersigned.
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