Sudanese court sentences woman to death by stoning in first case for a decade

Sudan has not seen a public stoning in over a decade, but it may soon change as a woman was sentenced for adultery charges. 20-year-old Maryam Alsyed Tiyrab was arrested by the police in White Nile and the court has now ordered her to be stoned to death – a sentence that has not been implemented for quite some time now. According to media reports, the decision will go to appeal very soon and considering the existing precedents, the high court is likely to overturn the decision.

However, the judgement itself has drawn the ire of various women rights groups. The African Center for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS), based in Uganda, was highly critical of the judgement and even called for “immediate and unconditional release” of the defendant.

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ACJPS claimed that the defendant did not receive proper legal representation and also alleged that she was not given a fair trial. “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 centre said.

Since the military coup in Sudan last year, a lot of experts have feared that the country can be headed towards more conservative ways and this judgement is being considered to be an indicator.

The last time a woman in Sudan was sentenced to stoning for adultery was way back in 2013. While stoning was not clearly outlawed in the amendments introduced the central government in 2020, Sudan later ratified the United Nations convention against torture.

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(With inputs from agencies)