World

Noura Hussein: Appeals court overturns death sentence

June 26, 2018 4:23 pm

An appeals court in Sudan has overturned the death sentence of a woman who killed her husband after he allegedly raped her, her lawyer says.

Noura Hussein, 19, was instead sentenced to five years in jail, lawyer Abdelaha Mohamad said.

Her mother, Zainab Ahmed, told the BBC she was happy her daughter’s life had been spared.

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International celebrities had backed an online campaign, #JusticeforNoura, to demand Ms Hussein’s release.

Last month, an Islamic court had sentenced her to death by hanging, following her conviction for the premeditated murder of her husband, Abdulrahman Mohamed Hammad.

Ms Hussein said her husband had recruited some of his own cousins who allegedly held her down as he raped her.

When he allegedly attempted to do the same the following day she lashed out at him with a knife and stabbed him to death.