Act Immediately: Amina’s Last Full Day Is Today

9 Comments

1. 

   canberra boy on May 1, 2005 at 7:44 am

   it’s because it relates to a front-page post by Susan (here) that’s scrolled off the front page, and to Georgia10’s diary at DKos (wherein a lot of Kossaks call each other names and waste time instead of trying to save the life of a 21yo mother of two).

2. 

   Nanette on May 1, 2005 at 7:49 am

   Thanks, Susan, for keeping on top of this. What a terrible story, but maybe we can help give it a happy ending.

3. 

   DuctapeFatwa on May 1, 2005 at 8:13 am

   Amina is said to have killed her husband due to the state of her mental health following her early marriage at the age of 11. At 12 she had her first menstruation, and at the time of her arrest she was pregnant with her second daughter…

   Sadiq Al-Himiari, member of the Al-Mahwit General Prosecution Authority, claimed Amina was an adult when she committed the crime and that she was tried and sentenced based on this fact. He added that the attorney general, the primary court, the penal court and the high court had all verified her age before issuing the verdict.

   The assistant attorney general Abdul-Momin Al-Solwi, as well as accepting her adulthood, also ruled out she had killed her husband due to mental problems resulted from her early marriage. He said the suspect had committed her crime in cooperation with a second party after her husband discovered she was cheating on him with this person who for his part also received the maximum sentence. He said: “No person under the age of 18 can be put before the court. Such persons are treated as juveniles and are tried as such according to juvenile law.”

   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. link

   This article says a month but I think it may be a mistranslation, since everything else says a day.

4. 

   Dean Pajevic on May 1, 2005 at 8:28 am

   Reuters is finally on it.

5. 

   canberra boy on May 1, 2005 at 8:56 am

   I would concentrate my efforts on the US Government rather than Yemeni officials.  One call from the US Ambassador in Sana’a to the President or a Minister would be worth hundreds of faxes from ordinary Americans.

   I would e-mail or fax my Senators, the White House, and the State Department something along the following lines:

   I request that the US Government make urgent representations to the President of the Republic of Yemen to prevent the execution, reportedly scheduled for Monday 2 May 2005, of Amina Ali Abduladif.

   This 21-year-old mother of two children was reportedly sentenced to death when she was 16 years old, although the Yemeni Penal Code expressly prohibits the use of the death penalty against anyone convicted of crimes committed when they were under 18.

   This woman was convicted of the murder of her husband, who had been killed in January 1998, and was sentenced to death on 24 May 1999.  She had reportedly been tortured to force her to confess, and has since maintained her innocence.  A man, Muhammad Ali Said Qaba’il, was also sentenced to death for the murder, but it is not known when he is scheduled for execution.

   Witnesses say her husband was killed by his cousin in a land dispute in January 1998 but their evidence was not presented to the court during Mrs Abduladif’s trial in May 1999.  

   The court of appeal did not consider her age, and upheld the sentence in July 2001. The Supreme Court upheld the sentence in July 2002, and the sentence was ratified by the president shortly afterwards.

   Not long after the president ratified the sentence, Amina Ali Abduladif was, according to her lawyer, put before a firing squad. It was only when the executioners noticed that she was pregnant that the execution was stopped. According to her lawyer she had been raped by one of the guards at al-Mahaweet prison. As a result she gave birth to a son, who is with her in Sana’a Women Central prison, where she is now held.  Now that her son has turned two, her death sentence is to be carried out.

   I request the US Government to make urgent representations to President Saleh;

   • urging him to commute the death sentence passed on Amina Ali Abduladif and Muhammad Ali Said Qaba’il, and stressing that the Yemeni Penal Code prohibits the execution of people convicted of crimes committed when they were under 18;
   • reminding Yemeni authorities that they are bound by international standards for fair trial in capital cases, including the right to seek pardon or commutation of the sentence; and
   • calling on the authorities to order an investigation into the rape of Amina Ali Abduladif, allegedly by a prison guard, and to ensure that she is protected from any further ill-treatment while she is in prison.

   All information quoted is from Amnesty International and The Times.

   You no doubt know how to find your Senators and the White House.  I would contact the following State Department officials – unfortunately I couldn’t find e-mail addresses – because failing a political direction from the WH or Condoleeza Rice, they will be the ones who decide the US response:

   The Under Secretary for Political Affairs, R. Nicholas Burns, tel 202-647-2471  fax (202) 647-4780

   Assistant Secretary C. David Welch, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (NEA/FO) tel 202-647-7209  fax (202) 736-4462

   Director Alan G. Misenheimer, Office of Arabian Peninsula & Iran Affrs (NEA/ARPI)  tel 202-647-6184  fax (202) 736-4459

   Yemen Country desk  tel (202) 647-6558

   Thomas C. Krajeski
   U.S. Ambassador, Yemen
   Telephone: (967) 1 303-155 to 159
   Fax: (967) 1 303160/1/2/4/5

   Does anyone know the pattern of State’s e-mail addresses?  Usually, if you know one you can then insert names using the same pattern.

   • 

     Dean Pajevic on May 1, 2005 at 9:34 am

     Fabulous.  Yesterday, my daughter and I could not find fax numbers for the State Dept.  WTG, Canberra Boy!

     We did fax both of our U.S. Senators.  And I e-mailed Condi.  We also faxed every major newspaper, from the LATimes to USA Today to NYT.

     When my daughter wakes up — it’s her day to sleep in — we can fax again to these new #s.  WTG!

     • 

       Dean Pajevic on May 1, 2005 at 9:37 am

       And we faxed the Yemeni embassy in Washington D.C. and the U.S. embassy in Yemen.

6. 

   canberra boy on May 1, 2005 at 9:17 am

   Georgia10’s diary looks like it’s about to slip off the ‘recommended’ list.

   Perhaps Susan, a cross-post of this diary?  If you do, tell us so we can recommend.

   Sorry, it’s 2.15am here and I have to get some sleep.

   • 

     Dean Pajevic on May 1, 2005 at 9:36 am

     It is up at Kos.  Georgia10’s diary has been in the Rec list since yesterday morning.

     I’m sure she’s inspired a whole lot of people to act.

     Here’s what I also did, and that you all can do:

     I forwarded the info to all the mailing lists I’m on, including the almost 500-member ProgressiveTalk list.  they’re the kind of people who will act on this.  And I’m going to write them again with your advice and Fax #s above.

     And I sent it on to a couple relatives and friends who aren’t on the same mailing lists.