Human Rights Watch reported in January that an 18-year-old woman from western Sudan had been convicted of adultery and sentenced to death by stoning. The man she was accused of having sex with was not tried due to lack of evidence.
According to Human Rights Watch, Abok Alfa Akok did not have any legal representation at her trial, which was conducted entirely in Arabic — a language which Akok does not speak. Of course no translator was provided for her.
In addition, Akok is Christian and in the past the government of Sudan has promised not to try Christians under the Islamic Shari’a. UPI quoted HRW asserting that,
The Sudanese government has in the past claimed that its Shari’a law would not be applied to Christians, but this case shows otherwise. The sentence was based on Article 146 of Sudan’s 1991 Penal Code, which is based upon the government’s interpretation of the Shari’a.
Akok’s case is currently being appealed.
Source:
Christian woman to be stoned to death. Uwe Siemon-Netto, United Press International, February 1, 2002.