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Rights body asks for clemency for Sudan’s Noura Hussein
9:45 CAT | 15 May 2018
Young women in Sudan grow up in a patriarchal society, human rights campaigners say
Three United Nations agencies have written to Sudan’s President Omal al-Bashir to urge him to pardon a 19-year-old woman who was sentenced to death for killing her husband.
Noura Hussein killed her husband after he allegedly raped her as his male relatives restrained her.
It prompted UN Women, UN Population Fund and UN office of the special adviser on Africa to pen a joint statement, “speaking as the voices of women and girls of the world”, to “plead with the government of Sudan to save the life of Hussein”.
Ms Hussein had been forced into the marriage at the age of 16 and had tried to run away, but was tricked by her family to return to her husband.
After six days, she says he recruited some of his cousins who allegedly held her down as he raped her.
When he attempted to do the same the following day, she lashed out at him with a knife and stabbed him to death.
She then ran back to her parents who surrendered her to the police.
The judge presiding said the death penalty for Ms Hussein was given after her husband’s family refused to accept financial compensation.
Human rights groups are also calling for her conviction to be overturned.
The case has attracted widespread attention on social media where a campaign called #JusticeforNoura has been trending on Twitter.
Source: BBC
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