YANUSA RAFIN CHIYAWA - (Nigeria)

36 anni

Sentenced to death by stoning

15/11/03 - Yunusa Rafin Chiyawa acquitted from sentence to death by stoning 

His story

Last June 24^th 2002, an Islamic Court in the Nigerian state of Bauchi, where the Islamic Law (sharia) is adopted, sentenced to death by stoning a 35 years old farmer, Yunusa Rafin Chiyawa, for having sexual relations with one of his friends� wife.

Despite several updates of the trial, being carried out also with the aim to persuade Yunusa to review his own confession, he had repeatedly confirmed his version of the events, saying he had done it just because of sentimental reasons, not for raping her.

The woman he had sexual relations with, Aisha Haruna, 25, could escape the same punishment after swearing with the Holy Qu�ran, that she was hypnotized by Yunusa. Temporary madness, indeed, is one of the few conditions that according to sharia allows someone to escape the death penalty (the remaining ones are permanent madness and underage, below 18 years).

Before Yunusa�s confession, the judge Mohammed Sani Bal could do anything but sentencing him to death, after trying to persuade the man to verify again his report of the events, for getting his life spared, but it was in vain.

The appeal to save Yunusa

The Community of Sant�Egidio invites everybody to share its appeal aiming to spare Yunusa from death by stoning.

You can send the following petition to the Nigerian Authorities (using the E-mail of the President of the Republic [email protected]    or [email protected] ) or by means of the 

Embassies of Nigeria in your country,  fax or  e-mail and also c.c. to some Nigerian newpapers:

The Comet  E-mail: [email protected] 

This Day E-mail: [email protected]

Ambasciata della Repubblica di Nigeria presso lo Stato Italiano

Via Orazio 18 � 00193 Roma - fax: 06.6832528 - E-mail: [email protected]

Rappresentanza diplomatica della Nigeria presso l'Unione Europea:

NIG�RIA  (R�PUBLIQUE F�D�RALE DU NIG�RIA)

Chancellerie diplomatique:

av. de Tervuren 288

B-1150 Bruxelles

Tel.: +32-2 762 52 00 - 762 98 47

Fax: +32-2 762 37 63

AMBASCIATA NIGERIANA PRESSO GLI STATI UNITI

NIGERIAN EMBASSY WASHINGTON, DC CONTACTS:

Ambassador

His Excellency, Professor Jibril M. Aminu

Tel: (202) 986-8414; Fax: (202) 986-8449

[email protected]

rappresentanza permanente presso le N.U.

Nigeria - Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations

828 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017

Telephone: (212) 953-9130, Telefax: (212) 697-1970

Mission permanente de la R�publique f�d�rale du Nig�ria aupr�s de l'Office des Nations Unies et des autres organisations internationales � Gen�ve

Rue Richard Wagner 1

1211 Gen�ve 2

T�l�phone : 730 14 14, 730 14 15, 730 14 16

T�l�copieur : 734 10 53

Courrier �lect. : [email protected]