I can’t find any word on the fate of the 21-year-old Yemeni woman, and mother of a 2-year-old (from a prison rape) scheduled to be executed by firing squad today for supposedly killing her husband when she was 14 — although thousands of people have rallied to her defense this weekend. (Anyone able to call Yemen?)
… In the meantime …
The Independent scoops Tony Blair’s secret plan to upgrade the UK’s nuclear weapons:
Tony Blair has secretly decided that Britain will build a new generation of nuclear deterrent to replace the ageing Trident submarine fleet at a cost of more than £10bn – a move certain to dismay thousands of Labour Party loyalists in the approach to polling day.
And, in the latest of four bloody days in Iraq that left over 100 Iraqis and 3 U.S. soldiers dead, the Los Angeles Times reports:
A suicide bomber on Sunday plowed his vehicle into a tent packed with mourners at a Kurdish funeral in the northern city of Tall Afar, killing at least 25 people and wounding 30 others as insurgents continued their campaign of violence.
This morning, I called:
All three have promised to call me back with word on her fate.
For background:
http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2005/4/30/94624/9337
that I can find.
If anybody with bucks could call the AI office in the UK, or the US Embassy in Yemen, that’d be great … although, are they closed by now?
.
By Mohammed Al-KibsiApr 30, 2005 - YEMEN OBSERVER
SANA’A – Amina Al-Tuhaif is an inmate of Sana’a Central Prison. She was arrested November 22 1998 for the murder of her husband, Hezam Hasan Qabail. Amina was 14 years old at the time, according to her advocate.
[…]
The defending lawyer dismissed the claims of the general attorney and said that in the appeal court in Al-Mahweet nothing was discussed concerning Amina’s case and the report of the legal doctor stating her age was not taken into consideration.
The “Last Chance for Freedom” legal center is providing legal assistance to Amina, but many obstacles impede their progress. The lawyer’s access to Amina’s legal files are being illegally held by the General Deputy and the Head of Prosecution in Al-Mahweet.
The Legal Aid Center at the Italian Organization has issued a statement in which it calls for the collecting of signatures to stop the sentence being carried out. There is only one month left until Amina’s execution.
Oui – Liberté – Egalité – Fraternité
The Yemen Times said her execution was today. So did all the releases from Amnesty’s UK office.
I just called Amnesty’s NYC office again, to no avail — and frankly not much help. Bureaucracy invades all groups, it appears.
I hope the Yemeni embassy in D.C. calls me back.
It appears that Amina Ali Abduladif has been spared through a Yemeni Presidential suspension of her execution. Her lawyer says it’s not clear how long the suspension is for, although the gist of The Times’ story suggests that the outlook is optimistic.
It includes the following:
Thank you everyone who pursued this case. I’ll take on the task of watching for further developments.
Please forgive the fact that I have also posted this comment in the open thread and on Susan’s original front-page comments thread as well – new comments were still appearing there.
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Re-read your recent diary and had previously Googled for Amina Al-Tuhaif. Now understand the similarity in the LETTER doc found and the article in Weekly Yemen Observer. I used a copy of the latter as reference in a personalized version of appeal to all persons and Email addresses provided!
http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/en/index.php?option=contact&Itemid=6
His Excellency, Minister of Human Rights Ms. Amat Al Alleem Soussua,
mshr@y.net.ye
His Excellency, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Abubaker ALQIRBI
His Excellency, Ambassador Abdulwahab Abdulla Al-Hajjri
ambassador@yemenembassy.org
Subject: Appeal for Reconsideration Sentence of Mrs. Amina Al Tuhaif
YOUR PUBLICATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
Yemen ratified the Convention on the rights of the Child in 1991.
I. LEGISLATION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
A- Definition of the child in Yemeni legislation
Various Yemeni laws and legislative enactments set different legal ages for the exercise of various rights and obligations:
The Constitution, the Electoral Act, the Compulsory National Service Act and the General Reserve Act set the minimum age for exercising those rights at 18 years. For example, in the Civil Service Act it is set at 18 and in the Civil Status and Civil Registration Act at 16. The Rights of the Child Law of 2002 defines the child as every person who has not passed the age of 18 as long as he has not reached maturity. The Penal Code sets the age of the “juvenile” under 15 years of age while the Passport Act entitles any person over 16 years of age to passports and travel documents.
In reference to a publication in the Yemen Observer on April 30, 2005 and a number of concerns voiced by global NGO’s who’s focus is the care of children.
Appreciation of the efforts and tasks performed by the Yemeni government, its leaders and society as a whole to meet the challenges of the 21st century and provide security and welfare for its citizens.
As an individual person, respectfully do appeal to Your Excellence to do all possible within the power and compassion befitting your position, in accordance with the Constitution and Judicial Acts of the Yemen Sovereign Nation.
Personally, my believe is that capital punishment should be reserved by the state for the ultimate and extreme crimes against society. The state should also show compassion, where it’s required by unusual circumstances of events, and certainly in the case of Mrs. Amina Al Tuhaif, a minor when alleged crimes were committed and mother of child.
In trust that your decision will be JUST, I respectfully extend my good wishes to the leadership of the Republic of Yemen and the representation of the People of Yemen.
With Cordial Greetings,
– – – – Oui – – – –
The Hague, the Netherlands
Article Yemen Observer about Mrs. Amina Al-Tuhaif with child.
PS HOME PAGE for additional links to Yemen.
Oui – Liberté – Egalité – Fraternité