HANDS OFF CAIN IN NIGERIA TO SUPPORT PRESIDENT OBASANJO AND THE CASE OF AMINA LAWAL

Hands Off Cain will be in Nigeria to meet with the highest officials of the African state and Amina Lawal, the Nigerian woman sentenced to death by stoning for adultery. Hands Off Cain’s mission will begin on Monday and will go on throughout the week. The abolitionist organisation, already engaged in efforts in favour of Amina Lawal, has launched a campaign urging Miss World contestants to participate in the event to be held in Nigeria on December 7 as opposed to boycotting which some Miss World participants have proposed as a consequence of Amina’s sentence. Following the support of Miss Italy, Pamela Camassa, and Miss Sweden, Sofia Hedmark, the last hours have also seen Miss Germany, Simone Wulf-Reinfurt, and Miss Norway, Katrine Sorland who had previously decided to boycott the event, give their support to Hands Off Cain and participation in the Miss World contest in Abuja. The Hands Off Cain delegation will be composed of Sergio D’Elia, Secretary General of the organisation, Elisabetta Zamparutti, coordinator of the campaign for a UN moratorium on executions, Roberto Giachetti, Italian member of Parliament from the Daisy faction, and Benedetto della Vedova, European Member of Parliament for Lista Bonino. The delegation’s purpose, which falls within the objectives of the European Union project in favour of a UN moratorium on capital executions, is to express support to Oluseng Obasanjo, who has assured the international community that Amina Lawal will not be executed. It will also sustain the Federal Government’s efforts in developing democratic processes and the respect of human rights in the country in opposition to the political use and implementation of Sharia law in some of its northern states. Furthermore, the delegation’s objectives will be to discuss with the highest Nigerian authorities the country’s stance on the resolution for a universal moratorium on capital executions which will be presented at the next UN General Assembly during Italy’s presidency of the European Union in the second semester of 2003.