The appeals court in Nigeria today began hearing the second appeal of Amina Lawal who was sentenced to death by stoning for an extramarital sexual encounter. The penalty was imposed under the Islamic penal code of Sharia, imposed three years ago in the region. It is not clear whether the Nigerian government will intervene.

Amina Lawal has a few more avenues of appeal if this one fails. In this appeal, the Sharia law itself is not being challenged, only its application.

As the grounds for the appeal were read by her lawyer, she stared into space, while her child whimpered before finally falling asleep on her lap. Her uncle was the only family member to accompany her to the court.

....Twelve northern Nigerian states have introduced Sharia punishments for criminal cases in the last three years, and while five people have been sentenced to death by stoning, no sentence has yet been carried out.