Religion
Italy: Nigerian Christian facing stoning prays he can stay
Turin, 24 August (AKI) - A young Nigerian Christian man, Felix Eugenne is anxiously awaiting a decision on 3 September from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) on whether he can remain in Italy. He is facing deportation to Nigeria and death by stoning for having sex outside wedlock with a Muslim woman.
Magistrates in Nigeria sentenced Eugenne, 27, to death by stoning preceeded by public flogging. His crime was to have had sex with his girlfriend Fatimah, who is a Muslim: a double offence in Niger state, where Islamic law is in force.
Nigeria's constitution upholds the secularism of the state and its legal system. But in Niger state and 11 other states, mainly in the Muslim majority north, Islamic law is applied.
The photo shows Muslim schoolgirls in Nigeria.
Eugenne's family property was torched by his girfriend's relatives when they found out Fatimah was pregnant, and Eugenne and his father were thrown into jail.
Eugenne was imprisoned and given 21 public lashes for several days. He had been sentenced to 21 public lashes for 21 days before death by stoning, but says he managed to escape when his mullah-jailer left his cell unlocked one day.
The mullah had his throat slit in a public square as an "exemplary" punishment, Eugenne said. He managed to flee Nigeria and reach Italy aboard a container ship in April 1994.
Via diplomatic channels, documents and photographs, Eugenne's main lawyer, Anna Rosa Oddone, has verified his story. A spokesman for her law firm told Adnkronos International (AKI) they were optimistic that Eugenne would be allowed to stay in Italy.
The UNHCR in Italy, which has representatives from the UN, the Italian government and the police, will rule on whether he can obtain refugee status, political asylum, or humanitarian leave, meaning he could stay in the country initially for up to 12 months.
If his recourse to UNHCR fails, Eugenne can apply to the Italian courts but will have to do so in absentia, as he will be deported immediately.
The region of Piedmonte's regional administrative court previously threw out Eugenne's case, ruling that it was beyond its jurisdiction.
Eugenne has been working as a casual labourer unloading goods at a supermarket in the Italian city of Turin, and working as a hairdresser in his free time.
He has no idea what has become of Fatimah, his child or his parents and his other relations. He fears that any attempt to contact them could be fatal for him.
Italy has helped save two Nigerian women sentenced to lapidation under Islamic Sharia law. Amina Lawal, a Nigerian woman sentenced to death by stoning for having a baby as a result of consensual sexual relations while divorced, had her sentence overturned and was freed in 2003.
Safiya Husseini who was sentenced to death by stoning for adultery in 2001 but was later acquitted on appeal and in 2002 was made an 'honorary' citizen of Rome.
Magistrates in Nigeria sentenced Eugenne, 27, to death by stoning preceeded by public flogging. His crime was to have had sex with his girlfriend Fatimah, who is a Muslim: a double offence in Niger state, where Islamic law is in force.
Nigeria's constitution upholds the secularism of the state and its legal system. But in Niger state and 11 other states, mainly in the Muslim majority north, Islamic law is applied.
The photo shows Muslim schoolgirls in Nigeria.
Eugenne's family property was torched by his girfriend's relatives when they found out Fatimah was pregnant, and Eugenne and his father were thrown into jail.
Eugenne was imprisoned and given 21 public lashes for several days. He had been sentenced to 21 public lashes for 21 days before death by stoning, but says he managed to escape when his mullah-jailer left his cell unlocked one day.
The mullah had his throat slit in a public square as an "exemplary" punishment, Eugenne said. He managed to flee Nigeria and reach Italy aboard a container ship in April 1994.
Via diplomatic channels, documents and photographs, Eugenne's main lawyer, Anna Rosa Oddone, has verified his story. A spokesman for her law firm told Adnkronos International (AKI) they were optimistic that Eugenne would be allowed to stay in Italy.
The UNHCR in Italy, which has representatives from the UN, the Italian government and the police, will rule on whether he can obtain refugee status, political asylum, or humanitarian leave, meaning he could stay in the country initially for up to 12 months.
If his recourse to UNHCR fails, Eugenne can apply to the Italian courts but will have to do so in absentia, as he will be deported immediately.
The region of Piedmonte's regional administrative court previously threw out Eugenne's case, ruling that it was beyond its jurisdiction.
Eugenne has been working as a casual labourer unloading goods at a supermarket in the Italian city of Turin, and working as a hairdresser in his free time.
He has no idea what has become of Fatimah, his child or his parents and his other relations. He fears that any attempt to contact them could be fatal for him.
Italy has helped save two Nigerian women sentenced to lapidation under Islamic Sharia law. Amina Lawal, a Nigerian woman sentenced to death by stoning for having a baby as a result of consensual sexual relations while divorced, had her sentence overturned and was freed in 2003.
Safiya Husseini who was sentenced to death by stoning for adultery in 2001 but was later acquitted on appeal and in 2002 was made an 'honorary' citizen of Rome.
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