A Sudanese woman who faced the death penalty for apostasy and adultery for marrying a Christian man, has been freed from prison.
Mariam Yahya Ibrahim, 27, was sentenced to death in May under Sharia Law by the Sudanese Alhag Yousif Criminal Court for refusing to renounce Christianity.
However, after more than four months in prison, the Sudanese authorities have released Ibrahim, as her lawyer told the BBC:
“They have released her… she’s on her way to home”
Her release comes after the outrage sparked across the globe over the incident, with human rights organisations and governments describing her incarceration as religious discrimination.
In May, Western embassies in Khartoum issued a joint statement saying:
The Embassies of Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States of America in Khartoum express their deep concern over the apostasy ruling handed down on Sunday in the trial of Meriam Yahia Ibhrahim Ishag. We call upon the Government of Sudan to respect the right to freedom of religion, including one’s right to change one’s faith or beliefs, a right which is enshrined in international human rights law as well as in Sudan’s own 2005 Interim Constitution. We further urge Sudanese legal authorities to approach Ms Meriam’s case with justice and compassion that is in keeping with the values of the Sudanese people. We are also concerned over the brutal sentence that could be faced with respect to the finding of adultery.
The Africa Centre for Justice and Peace Studies also issued a statement calling for Ibrahim’s release:
Sudanese authorities must immediately release and review the conviction of 27-year old Meriam Yahia Ibrahim who was sentenced to lashings and death for the crimes of adultery and apostasy by a Khartoum Criminal Court on 11 May.