Monday, November 23, 2009
The union, termed the series of stoning of people condemned of adultery as cruel and inhuman, and called for all parties to refrain from any form of executions.
The statement said: “The European Union recalls its opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances and regrets the continued occurrence of executions in Somalia.”
The statement was issued by the EU Presidency in Nairobi currently chaired by Sweden. It added: “We call on all relevant parties to ensure that the practice of execution by stoning is effectively and permanently terminated in the country.”
The Islamic militants who control most of Southern and Central Somalia have been trying to implement a strict version of the Islamic Sharia law. According to their interpretation anyone found committing adultery is punishable by stoning to death.
Last week, a 20-year-old woman accused of committing adultery was stoned in front of a crowd of about 200 people near the town of Wajid. Her boyfriend was given 100 lashes.
Earlier this month, they stoned Abas Hussein Abdirahman, 33, in front of a crowd of 300 people in the town of Marka. They spared his pregnant girlfriend until she gives birth.
Federal government
President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, a moderate Islamist, was sworn in as president following United Nations brokered peace talks in January. His Transitional Federal Government controls only some parts of Mogadishu.
Although he says he also wants to implement Sharia, al-Shabaab says his version would be too lenient.
Al-Shabaab and Hizbu Islam, the Islamist groups that strongly oppose the TFG, enforce severe punishments.
Somalia has not had a functioning national government for 18 years, since the ousting of Mohammed Siad Barre in 1991.