Noura Hussein was just 16 when her father forced her to marry her cousin in 2014.
She, however, fled from their home before the marriage was completed. But her father tricked her into coming back home three years later and sent her to her husband.
She kept refusing her husband’s attempt to have sex with her and after six days, he got his cousins to hold her down as he raped her.
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“She would not have sex with the man. He recruited some of his cousins and brought them [to his] home where they held her down while her husband raped her,” Sarah ElHasan, a rights activist, told Al Jazeera.
The next time he tried to rape her, she stabbed him to death and went back to her family.
The family handed her over to the police.
Noura, now 19 years old, has been sentenced to death by a court in Omdurman, Sudan’s second biggest city. She had been in the Omdurman prison for a year.
A teenager who was forcefully married and raped by her husband has been sentenced to death. Activists want #JusticeForNoura. pic.twitter.com/jZJtqqzF2C
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) May 10, 2018
The judgment has raised concerns over the justice system in Sudan, especially when it comes to marital rape. Sudan is one of the many African countries where marital rape is not considered a crime. It even has a clause in its Family Law that prohibits a woman from refusing sex with her husband.
An online petition has been filed in an attempt to reverse the court’s punishment. It has more than 74,500 signatures.
On social media, the campaign to create awareness of Noura’s case and push for the reversal of the judgment is ongoing with the #justiceforNoura.
Noura’s lawyers have 15 days to appeal against the death penalty charge.
BREAKING: Noura was just sentenced to death by the judge. Nahid and @badreldins just contacted me. So, from now, we have 15 days to save Noura’s life. #JusticeForNoura LET US START TO MAKE NOISE, and stop to be polite. We need to be heard! @lauraboldrini @ElenaValenciano
— Sodfa Daaji (@sodfadaaji) May 10, 2018
It’s time we see marital rape as a crime.
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
— Ola Diab (@TheRealOlaDiab) May 6, 2018
I do stand firm and call for #JusticeForNoura
She is a victim not a defendant.
Yes, she is a rape victim even if you will say he was her legal husband. She was forced into this marriage and those who forced her to marry him should be held accountable. Can’t express anymore…— Dr Ahmed McLad د. أحمد مَقلَد (@McLad84) May 3, 2018
Typed #JusticeforNoura into my search bar & the number of of male tweets is almost non existent, wallahi us men are a big part to play as to why this shit is happening in the first place. We don’t condone it but we’re too silent and thats why this is being kept under the carpet.
— AhmedA1ii #1017 ? (@AhmedA1ii) May 2, 2018
Everything about the Noura case breaks my heart, the amount of suffering that poor child has been through and the message this verdict sends out all across Sudan…we have to do better #JusticeForNoura
— Kendrick Ammar (@ThatSudaniGuy) May 11, 2018
#nofgm if it was a man who killed a woman blood money would be accepted but because #JusticeForNoura Noura is a girl she should pay for the ultimate penalty.Women lifes not valued. Watch @CNN she is just a teenager who was and still not seen or heard. When will the world see it pic.twitter.com/xSd3nrKHoQ
— hibo wardere (@HiboWardere) May 11, 2018
