Amina
Lawal must be saved
May 27th,
A day of international protest to save Amina Lawal
and to abolish stoning law
The International Committee against Stoning (ICAS) has campaigned for several months to save the life of Amina Lawal. A young woman, who according to Islamic laws has been sentenced to stoning in north Nigeria. In this campaign, a series of international protests were organized on May 27 and June 3, 2003. These protests included sending protest letters and petitions from all around the world to the Nigerian government, organizing rallies and meetings in countries such as the Netherlands, England, Germany, Turkey and Denmark. Mina Ahadi, the coordinator of ICAS, has personally highlighted the issue in interviews with national TV channel in Germany, and Norwegian and Turkish national press. In a speech in Nvis-Germany, too, Mina Ahadi once again discussed the criminal act of stoning and urged the international community to act in support of Amina Lawal and in condemnation of stoning.
ICAS and the activists of the Worker Communist Party of Iran and the Left Party of Holland organized a rally in front of Nigerian embassy. This rally drew the attention of media and public opinion towards Amina Lawal’s stoning sentence. On May 27 and 28 many newspaper journalists and the press interviewed Fereshteh Moradi ICAS’s representative in Holland. The report of the protest was published in many main newspapers in Holland including Algemene Dagblad, Hetparool, Spits, Eindhoven Dagblad and Trow. In all the reports the pictures of a symbolic play against stoning and compulsory Islamic dress code, which was performed by Vida Bita, was shown. In this rally the national radio station in Holland had a live interview with Fereshteh Moradi and the representative of the Amnesty International in Holland. Fereshteh Moradi from ICAS, Marika Fovs Member of Parliament in Holland from Green Party, Farshad Hosaini from Worker Communist Party of Iran and Rezgar from Worker Communist Party of Iraq were the speakers at the rally. The rally ended by handing a protest letter to the Nigerian embassy.
A picket was organized in front of Nigerian embassy and Shiva Mahbobi and Diana Nammi had a meeting with Nigerian embassy regarding Amina Lawal.
A picket was organized in front of the Nigerian embassy and Togra Gharagozloo had a meeting with the Nigerian embassy.
Nazmiye Halvasi who is the reprehensive of ICAS and Young Student Women Organization in Ankara together with the activists of Worker Communist Party of Iran organized a series of activities to protest against the stoning sentence of Amina lawal. The Turkish newspapers published an article by Nazmiye Halvasi with the title of “We won’t let June 3 be a day of shame”. In this article she has introduced ICAS and its activities and urged people all around the world to take action against stoning law. She mentions the suspension of stoning law in Iran as a result of International pressure. Nazmiye Halvasi urged people to protest against honor killing as well. A rally was held in front of the Nigerian embassy in Ankara and Nazmiya was the speaker at this rally.
Copenhagen- Denmark
ICAS’s activists organized a picket and an information table in the city center of Copenhagen. They collected many signatures against stoning. Nahid Riyazi a well-known women’s rights activist and the representative of the ICAS spoke with people regarding the brutal law of stoning.
In the other countries ICAS’s activists and many other freedom loving people have sent protest letters to Nigerian government and demanded the annulment of stoning sentence of Amina lawal. Once again we urge all people all around the world to join us to abolish stoning.
International Committee
against Stoning