Stoning appeal in Nigeria

By Anna Borzello
BBC, Katsina

A court is sitting in the northern Nigerian town of Katsina to hear the second appeal of a woman convicted of adultery and sentenced to death by stoning under the Islamic penal code of Sharia.

Amina cried as she arrived in court

This is the second time that Amina Lawal, who was sentenced in March last year, has appealed against the conviction.

Amina Lawal, 31, struck a lonely figure in Katsina's small Sharia appeal court.

As the grounds for the appeal were read by her lawyer, she stared into space, while her child whimpered before finally falling asleep on her lap.

Her uncle was the only family member to accompany her to the court.

Condemnation

Amina Lawal's lawyers are listing their 12 grounds for the appeal.

Although the case has attracted worldwide condemnation from human rights groups, her lawyers have so far not challenged Sharia itself, but rather its application in this case.

Amina Lawal was found guilty of adultery in March last year after she gave birth to her daughter Wasila.

She lost her first appeal last August, and has been waiting since then for the second appeal to be heard.

Twelve northern Nigerian states have introduced Sharia punishments for criminal cases in the last three years, and while five people have been sentenced to death by stoning, no sentence has yet been carried out.