Article 8: the Freedom of Religion
118. The Complainant argues that the first Victim's right to freedom of religion, guaranteed
by Article 8 of the African Charter, was violated. They refer to a previous case, Center for
Minority Rights Development (Kenya) and Minority Rights Group (on behalf ofEndorois Welfare
Council) v. Kenya,56 where the Commission affirmed that the right to hold religious beliefs
is absolute, expressed as "freedom of conscience,""freedom of religion," and "freedom to
practice religion." The Complainant further notes that the state's responsibility under
Article 8 of the African Charter is engaged when individuals are persecuted based on
their religion. In particular, they point out that the Cgmmission has previously held that
the application of Shari'a law to non-Muslims v~91~~e;~Altid~
8 and has called on Sudan
to ensure that Shari'a law is not enforced in this/ 'lanner. 5 ., ~ Complainant highlights
the Commission's finding that Sudan violated At
8 in c
where individuals were
"persecuted to cause their conversion to Islam" an
arrests, expulsions, and denial of accessto wor~,and foo
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119. The Complainant argues that th~,first Vit,timisrightS:fpfreedo""qf religio . ; der Article
8 were violated in multiple way:§,:~ollowfug
her initial arrest in\~~Rtember 2013. Firstly,
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the Public Prosecutor indicted
first Victim for the offense':~f
adultery on the
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assumption that she w~~.~uslim, des~l~~~)1er
stat¥lg that she identified as Catholic to the
police prior to her arrestif~~is resulte~;m~~ applica:~tQnof Shari'a law, even though she
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was a non-MusliI9f;:$~~ondly, the M(lg~~p:ate:,€ rt added the charge of apostasy against
the first Victim ~~c;use she had'cpnyerted from Islam to Catholicism. However, she was
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raised as an Etti!opian Orthodox 'l~ istian and cliQ~~to adopt the Catholic faith as an
adult. Criminaliilng conversion is in wpatible witK1-eligiousfreedom. Thirdly, the Haj
Yossif General C6tirt
tried and convictedtthe
first Victim of both adultery and apostasy
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despite
the consistellt profession of .her Catholic faith during the trial. The court's
it ':
findiiigs
wen;
contradi£t,QfY
- the con~i!3~onfor
adultery assumed that she was Muslim
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and therefote.p~0~ibited1f~~m ;i~~~A!g
a Christian man. Yet, the sentence of apostasy
assumed 'that she had renouhce ,
and adopted another faith.
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120. Additionally.tthe ~ourt pressured her to affirm the Islamic faith under threat of the death
penalty, undermining her right to choose her religion as guaranteed by Article 8 and the
Interim National Constitution of Sudan, 2005. Furthermore, the first Victim was sentenced
to the death penalty and 100 lashes, which is a manifestly disproportionate and
56 Communication
276/03,25 November 2009, Para165.
Communication
48/90-50/91-52/91-89/93,
Amnesty
International, Comite Loosli Bachelard, Lawyers'
Committee for Human Rights, Association of Members of the Episcopal Conference of East Africa v. Sudan, 15 November
1999, pg 73. See also ACHPR," Concluding Observations and Recommendations on the 4th and 5th Periodic Report of the
Republic of Sudan", 4 August 2012; ACmHPR, "Promotional Mission Report of the Commissioner Angela Melo, Special
Ra~p.orteur on the R~ght~ of Women in Africa in the Republic of Sudan", (30 March to 4th .April 20?3), p 161\~t1.1'
58Cltmg Communication
48/90-50/91-52/91-89/93,
Amnesb] International, Comite Loosli BacheLlJm~\(IJaWYI!f.sfr·D,o~~
Committee for Human Rights, Association of Members of the Episcopal Conference of East Africa u. Suda!'J:~-15N@vembe~
o~~~:.
57
Citing
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1999, pg74.
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