Khartoum, May 11 (IANS): A Sudanese woman has been sentenced to death for stabbing and killing her husband, who raped her as his relatives held her down, the media reported on Friday.

The judge announced the death penalty in Omdurman on Thursday to the 19-year-old Noura Hussein, CNN news reported.

Her husband's family refused to pardon her and rejected financial compensation, requesting that she should be executed instead.

Hussein's legal team has 15 days to appeal.

"She's still in complete shock after her sentencing," said Adil Mohamed Al-Imam, one of Hussein's lawyers.

Al-Imam donated his services after Hussein's original lawyer withdrew from the case.

Forced to marry at the age of 15, Hussein ran away from home and sought refuge with her aunt for three years. She was tricked into returning by her father, who handed her over to her husband's family.

After Hussein refused to consummate the marriage, her husband's relatives held her down while he raped her.

"His brother and two cousins tried to reason with her and when she refused she was slapped and ordered into the room. One held her chest and head, the others held her legs," Al-Imam told CNN.

A day later her husband tried to rape her again, and she stabbed him to death. When she went to her parents for support, they turned her into the police.

Al-Imam said the case has challenged societal expectations in Sudan that wives should submit to their husbands.

Amnesty International's Sudan researcher, Ahmed Elzobier, said it was the first time a case of this nature had attracted such attention.