A court in Sudan has sentenced a 19-year-old woman to death for killing her husband after he raped her.
The judge at the court in Omdurman confirmed the death penalty after the husband's family refused the possibility of financial compensation.
When she was 16, Nourra Hussein was forced into a marriage by her family.
She was so unhappy that she ran away and took refuge at her aunt's house.
But three years later, she says she was tricked into returning home by her own family - who then handed her over again to her husband.
After six days she says he recruited some of his cousins who 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.
At her trial the judge offered the husband's family the option of forgiving Nourra but they chose execution.
Her case has attracted widespread attention on social media where a campaign called #JusticeforNoura has been trending on Twitter.
It”™s time we see marital rape as a crime.
— Ola Diab (@TheRealOlaDiab) May 6, 2018
It”™s time we call for marital rape to be recognized as a punishable crime.
Marital rape is morally, ethically and religiously wrong. It”™s time for the law in #Sudan to recognize that and make marital rape illegal. #JusticeForNoura pic.twitter.com/l1fGRRkDoM
sudani men who won”™t speak up for women under oppression, your silence is an act of violence too. #JusticeForNoura
— Ossaa (@LeWildOssaa) May 2, 2018
Her lawyers are applying for a lesser sentence of second degree murder.
Meanwhile, the rights group Equality Now says it will also be writing to the Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir to ask him for clemency.
Latest Stories
-
Dumsor hasn’t ended – IES debunks Akufo-Addo’s claim as citizens complain of more outages
5 mins -
‘Man stuffing ballot box, not our staff and incident not related to Ejisu by-election’ – EC
20 mins -
Agogo Presby Hospital holds annual performance review meeting
24 mins -
Fifth body found after Baltimore bridge collapse
34 mins -
Atlantic Lithium to list on the Ghana Stock Exchange
39 mins -
EOCO could have done more investigations into Cecilia Dapaah’s case – GII
55 mins -
MTN FA Cup: Dreams FC to switch focus to title defence after CAF Confederation Cup elimination
1 hour -
New photo marks Princess Charlotte ninth birthday
1 hour -
Dafeamekpor files appeal against dismissal of request to compel Akufo-Addo to accept anti-LGBTQ bill
1 hour -
Group submits RTI application seeking information on BVRs for limited registration exercise
1 hour -
They accepted my lunch offer – Kwadaso MP on money given to EC officials
1 hour -
KAIPTC launches 5-year strategic plan
2 hours -
Akwaboah Jnr stuns fans with wedding announcement
2 hours -
Chiefs not mandated to rise to greet visitors – Atuguba questions Chieftaincy Ministry justification
2 hours -
‘I did not bribe anybody, my action was misconstrued’ – MP involved in Ejisu ‘envelope’ incident
2 hours