Thousands of Amnesty International supporters are sending messages of concern to the Sudanese authorities upon receiving news that two Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights from Darfur, western Sudan could face death by stoning after being convicted of committing adultery.

22-year-old Sadia Idriss Fadul from the Fur ethnic group was sentenced to death by stoning on 13 February, and Amouna Abdallah Daldoum who is 23 years old and a member of the Tama ethnic group, was sentenced on 6 March.

Amnesty International has expressed serious concern that these two Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights received an unfair trial as reportedly neither was given access to a lawyer nor was she able to defend herself, because her first language was that of her ethnic group in Darfur. The court proceedings were conducted in Arabic and the Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights were reportedly not provided with a translator.

Amnesty International UK’s Campaigns Director, Tim Hancock said:

“Sadia and Amouna were subjected to most unfair trial proceedings where they were given no appropriate defence and as a result could face a tragic and cruel death.

“Such a penalty totally contravenes Sudan’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and is unacceptable.”

The two Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights were charged under Article 146 (a) of Sudan’s 1991 Penal Code. Article 146 states that anyone having sex outside marriage shall be punished with execution by stoning when the offender is married (Muhsan); or one hundred lashes when the offender is not married (non-muhsan).

While Amnesty International does not take a position on Islamic or any other religious law, it considers such penalties to be cruel, inhuman and degrading punishments. Amnesty International opposes the death penalty unconditionally and under any circumstances.

Tim Hancock continued:

“The death penalty is the ultimate violation of the right to life and should be abolished in all circumstances. But it is particularly disturbing when we realise that these two Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights did not have a chance to adequately defend themselves.

“The Sudanese government has a duty to stop this death sentence from being carried out, and to allow these two Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights to be given a fair trial.”

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