Nigeria: The Case of Amina Lawal

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
Texts approved by the Parliament
Temporary version 13/03/2003

Human Rights: Nigeria – Amina Lawal

P5_TA-PROV(2003)0105

European Parliament Resolution on the Case of Nigerian Amina Lawal, Who Was Sentenced to Death by Stoning in Nigeria

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its resolution of 5 September 2002⁽¹⁾ in which it expressed its opposition to the decision taken on 22 March 2002 by the Sharia Court of the city of Bakori in Katsina State to sentence Mrs. Amina Lawal to death by stoning on the charge of having had a child out of wedlock,

A. having knowledge of the appeal lodged against the death sentence, which is due to be heard on 25 March 2003,

B. reiterating the view it expressed in its previous resolution that Nigeria remains one of the few countries where an individual can be sentenced to death for consensual sexual intercourse,

C. taking into account that the execution of Mrs. Amina Lawal for the offenses she is accused of constitutes a violation of human rights as defined, inter alia, in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights,

D. considering that, if convicted, Mrs. Amina Lawal will have the right to appeal this decision before a non-religious court,

E. considering that the new Federal Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi, announced that the government intends to appeal the decision of the Sharia Court and reminded that Muslims must enjoy the same rights and protection as other Nigerians under the Constitution,

1. expresses its categorical opposition to the death penalty under all circumstances, as it represents the ultimate violation of the right to life, which is protected under international law, and strongly urges the Nigerian government to take all measures to suspend all executions and put an end to death sentences;

2. calls on the Supreme Sharia Court of Katsina to respect Nigeria’s commitments under all the international human rights agreements it has signed, and therefore demands the abolition of all provisions of Sharia law that are contrary to international law;

3. calls on the Nigerian Supreme Court to make a ruling to align regional legislation with the international agreements Nigeria has signed;

4. calls on the Nigerian government to ensure that the courts operate in accordance with international human rights law and the Bill of Rights in the Nigerian Constitution;

5. confirms that respect for human rights is one of the fundamental provisions of all agreements between the EU and third countries;

6. assigns to its President the task of forwarding this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the African Union, the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, as well as to the government and parliament of Nigeria.

⁽¹⁾ P5_TA(2002)0411.