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A Nigerian woman who was saved from being
stoned to death under Islamic Sharia law has been made an honorary
citizen of the Italian capital, Rome. We want the citizenship we are
giving symbolically to Safiya to be an impulse for the abolition of the
death penalty worldwide.
The honour was conferred on Monday to Safiya
Husseini who was sentenced to death for adultery last year, but was
later acquitted on appeal. Rome's Mayor, Walter Veltroni, said he hoped
to confer the same honour to another Nigerian woman facing death by
stoning for adultery.
But Muslim leaders in northern Nigeria have denounced the move and
accused Italian leaders of seeking to convert Safiya Husseini to
Christianity.
Honorary title
"It is a beautiful day for Rome," Mayor Veltroni said during
the ceremony. The title of "citizen" is purely honorary and
carries no residency or any other legal rights. Safiya Husseini, 35, and
her two year-old daughter arrived in Rome from Lagos on Saturday.
Safiya's trial was cause celebre in Italy
Ms Husseini was sentenced to death by a Sharia
court in her home state of Sokoto in northern Nigeria in 2000. The
sentence triggered protests in many countries. The outcry was
particularly strong in Italy where candlelit vigils were held outside
the Nigerian embassy in Rome. After Ms Husseini's acquittal in March,
the Colosseum was floodlit at night - as is the case when a death
penalty is cancelled somewhere. Mr Veltroni said on Monday that
attention should now turn to the case of Amina Lawal - a 30-year-old
Nigerian woman appealing against a similar death sentence for adultery.
"For Safiya, we have lit up the Colosseum," Mr Veltroni said.
"We hope to be able to light it up again for Amina." He added:
"We want the citizenship we are giving symbolically to Safiya to be
an impulse for the abolition of the death penalty worldwide, and
recognition for the rights of women, while respecting religious and
cultural diversity."
'Conversion'
But Muslim leaders from Nigeria have condemned the honour. Rome's
attention now turns to Amina Lawal
Two of the 12 state governors who brought
Islamic law to northern Nigeria say they tried to prevent Ms Husseini
from receiving it. "When I learned of the invitation I wrote to the
State Security Service chief and the Immigration Service asking them not
to issue a passport to her," said Sokoto Governor Attahiru Bafarawa.
He said that the immigration authorities granted his request but that
the Women's Affairs Ministry sent a delegation to Ms Husseini's village
to give her a passport. Governor Ahmad Sani, of Zamfara state, also
condemned Rome's decision.
"Our fear is that Safiya and her daughter will be converted to
Christianity, which we believe is the intent of the invitation," he
said. The Nigerian federal government regards the application of Sharia
law as unconstitutional, but has so far not acted against its use.
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