Noura Hussein, seen here in prison in Sudan, had her death sentence overturned for fatally stabbing her husband
Noura Hussein had her death sentence commuted by a Sudanese court in a case that sparked international outrage.
The teenager, now 19, will instead serve five years in prison for killing her husband who she said had raped her while being held down by his brothers.
Amnesty International, which led the ‘Justice For Noura’ campaign, said Sudan must reform child marriage laws following the decision.
A lower court had sentenced Noura Hussein to death for the ‘intentional murder’ of her husband.
She was forced marry him at the age of 16 by her father.
The death sentence triggered outrage from the United Nations and global rights groups but has now been overturned by an appeals court.
The teenager, now 19, was convicted of killing her husband who she said raped her while his brothers and cousin held her down
Noura was ordered to pay 337,500 Sudanese pounds ($12,000) as blood money to her husband’s family.
Amnesty International welcomed the decision, saying the ruling ‘must lead to a legal review to ensure that Noura Hussein is the last person to go through this ordeal.’
She was the victim of a ‘brutal attack’ by her husband and acted in self defence, said Amnesty’s regional deputy director Seif Magango.
‘The Sudanese authorities must take this opportunity to start reforming the laws around child marriage, forced marriage and marital rape, so that victims are not the ones who are penalised,’ Magango’s statement read.
The legal age of marriage is ten in Sudan and marital rape isn’t considered a crime (file photo)
A ‘#JusticeforNoura’ campaign was launched to help bring attention to the teen bride’s case
He added the five-year jail term was a ‘disproportionate punishment’.
Hussein was wed against her will to Abdulrahman Hammad, 35.
The initial marriage ceremony involved the signing of a contract between her father and her husband.
In April 2017, she was forced to move into her husband’s home after completing high school.
When she refused to consumate the marriage, her husband invited two of his brothers and a male cousin to help him rape her.
The next morning he tried to rape her again but she managed to escape to the kitchen where she grabbed a knife.
In the ensuing scuffle, Abdulrahman sustained fatal knife wounds, according to Amnest International.
Hussein fled to her family home but her father handed her in to the police.
During her trial in July 2017, the court found her guilty of ‘intentional murder’ after applying an outdated law that does not recognise marital rape.
There has been increased protest in recent years against child marriage in Sudan, where legally those over the age of 10 can marry.