Noura Hussein
Noura Hussein | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Sudanese |
| Criminal charge | Murder |
Noura Hussein Hammad (Template:Lang-ar) is a Sudanese woman who was sentenced to death by hanging[1] on 10 May 2018 for killing her husband after he raped her. Hussein's legal team was given two weeks to appeal the sentence.[2] In June 2018, Sudan commuted her sentence to five years in prison and a restitution payment of 337,000 Sudanese pounds (US $18,700).[3]
She was forced into marriage at age 18 (some sources say 19); the marriage was arranged when she was 15. The defendant claimed the rape occurred while she was restrained by her husband's family members immediately after her marriage.[4][5] The husband's family declined opportunities to pardon Hussein or accept financial compensation in lieu of her execution.[6] The case caused worldwide outrage for the extreme disparity in justice for Noura and her rapist.
Protests against her sentence
More than a million people, as of 24 May 2018, signed a petition "Justice for Noura" against her execution. Amnesty International issued a statement, according to which Noura is a victim and the sentence "an intolerable act of cruelty". The death penalty highlights the failure of the Sudanese authorities to tackle child marriage, forced marriage and marital rape, AI said.[7] The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Women, the United Nations Population Fund and the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa have all called for clemency while Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres voiced his opposition to the sentence through a spokesman.[6] More recently, the court in Sudan overturned Noura's death sentence, instead subjecting her to a 5 year prison sentence and a fine. [8]
References
- ^ http://time.com/5291162/justice-for-noura-hussein-sudan-death-penalty-rape/
- ^ https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/10/africa/sudan-teen-noura-hussein-death-sentence-rape-intl/index.html
- ^ Elbagir, Nima; Dewan, Angela (26 June 2018). "Sudan commutes death sentence for teen who killed rapist husband". CNN. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
- ^ Beaumont, Peter (11 May 2018). "Teenager who killed her husband after he raped her is sentenced to death in Sudan". the Guardian. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
- ^ "Woman to die for killing 'rapist husband'". BBC News. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
- ^ a b Grinberg, Emanuella (16 May 2018). "Calls for leniency grow for teen who killed her rapist". CNN. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
- ^ https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/05/sudan-death-sentence-for-raped-teenager-is-an-intolerable-cruelty/
- ^ https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/26/africa/sudan-death-sentence-noura-hussein-asequals-intl/index.html