afrol News, 21 March - Death by stoning hangs over two Sudanese women - Sadia Idriss Fadul and Amouna Abdallah Daldoum - who were found guilty for committing adultery in a trial in which they were not represented, Amnesty International alleged.

Amnesty also faulted the Sudanese court to try the women using Arabic, which is not their native language. The central Al Gezira state trial proceedings were not interpreted to the convicted women either.

Ms Fadul and Ms Daldoum were sentenced on 13 February and 6 March respectively. In a statement, Amnesty expressed worry over the execution, which was expected to be effected any moment.

"The women had no lawyer during their trial and were not able to defend themselves, as their first languages are those of their ethnic groups," Amnesty argued, adding that Sadia Idriss Fadul is with one her children in prison.

In such trials, medical tests are not done. And in the case of Ms Fadul's case, the man accused of impregnating her was acquitted because there was no sufficient evidence against him.

The Sudanese penal code, which is based on the Shari'a, outlaws sex outside wedlock, which is punishable by stoning to death. Lashing is a punishment for unmarried women proven guilty of committing adultery.

Amnesty representatives told afrol News that the two women most probably were Muslims, meaning the Shari'a law practice is applicable on them according to the Sudanese constitution. Shari'a laws on many occasions, however, also have been used to judge non-Muslims.

Concerned about the cases, human rights activists have written letters of appeals to the Sudanese government to spare the lives of Ms Fadul and Ms Daldoum as the sentences are not in line with international standards the government of Sudan has signed up to.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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