The Institute for Science and Human Values joins with the Nigerian Humanist Movement in condemning a Nigerian sharia (Islamic law) court’s ruling that two young men are to be punished with amputation.

A Muslim court in the northern Nigerian state of Zamfara has ruled that Auwalu Abubaka, 23, and Lawalli Musa 22, must have their right wrists cut off in public for stealing a bull. The punishment is scheduled to be carried out on October 8, 2011. However, the two men have the right to appeal the sentence.

Amputation is cruel and unusual punishment. Even judges in sharia courts in Nigeria and other nations are reluctant to impose it. The international community rightfully expresses horror and disdain whenever this kind of punishment is proposed.

There is a tendency on the part of many to retreat into cultural relativism, or the notion that each culture has the right to its own practices, no matter how detrimental they might be to individuals and societies. However, most national governments today, at least in theory, recognize the need to defend human rights for all citizens of the world.

Though Nigeria has a secular constitution, there are 12 sharia states in the northern—predominantly Muslim—part of the country. Recognition of these states by the national government continues to be a major challenge to national unity and human rights.

Freedom loving people of conscience must oppose the merging of religion and state. A great first step in doing so is to oppose the sentence of amputation for these two Nigerian men. It is time to sweep cruel and unusual punishment into the dustbin of human history.

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