Khartoum, Jun 27 (IANS): An appeals court in Sudan has overturned the death sentence of a woman who killed her husband after he allegedly raped her, her lawyer said.

Noura Hussein, 19, was instead sentenced to five years in jail, the BBC quoted lawyer Abdelaha Mohamad as saying.

In May, an Islamic court had sentenced Hussein to death by hanging, following her conviction for the premeditated murder of her husband, Abdulrahman Mohamed Hammad.

Hussein said her husband had some of his cousins over at their place who allegedly held her down as he raped her.

When he attempted to do the same the following day she lashed out at him with a knife and stabbed him to death.

Hoping for a miracle to stop her daughter being hanged, Hussein mother, Zainab Ahmed, told the BBC she was happy that her life had been spared.

International celebrities had backed an online campaign, #JusticeforNoura, to demand her release.

According to a 2017 report by the UN's children's fund Unicef, one third of Sudanese girls are married before they turn 18.

Hussein too, was forced into the marriage at the age of 16. Her husband, who was also her cousin, was 16 years her senior.