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A CHRISTIAN SUDANESE woman sentenced to hang for apostasy will be “freed within days”, a foreign ministry official told AFP Saturday, after her case triggered an international outcry.
Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag was condemned to death on 15 May under the Islamic sharia law that has been in place since 1983 and outlaws conversions under pain of death.
“The lady will be freed within days in line with legal procedure that will be taken by the judiciary and the ministry of justice,” said Abdullah al-Azraq, a foreign ministry undersecretary.
Azraq, who spoke via telephone from London, did not elaborate.
The 27-year-old gave birth to a baby girl on Tuesday in a women’s prison in Khartoum’s twin city of Omdurman.
Her husband, US citizen Daniel Wani, visited Ishag and the baby on Thursday, after being denied access earlier in the week, and told AFP both were in “good health”.
Ishag was born to a Muslim father but told the court during her trial that she had never been a Muslim herself.
The court gave her three days to “recant” her faith and when she refused, Ishag was handed the death penalty and sentenced to 100 lashes for “adultery”.
Under Sudan’s interpretation of sharia, a Muslim woman cannot marry a non-Muslim man, so any such relationship is regarded as adulterous.
Her case sparked international condemnation.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said Saturday he was “appalled” by the “barbaric” sentence given to Ishag.
Britain and Canada had summoned the Sudanese envoys to their countries last week and told them the sentence violated Sudan’s international human rights obligations.
United Nations experts have called the conviction “outrageous” and said it must be overturned.
An appeal was filed against the verdict but defence attorney Mohannad Mustapha said a hearing that was to have been held on Wednesday was postponed because the case file was incomplete.
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Under Islamic sharia law she was sentenced to death.
Now they are going to release her,
No questions asked…
Dead woman walking i’m afraid..
They don’t forgive and forget…..
True Tom. They will stone her to death if they get a chance. She needs to get out of that country ASAP
If they are going to free her, then just do it. Why wait a few days?
To save face and make it look like they’re going through their own processes and not just caving in to the world. Whatever works.
Within days? It should be immediately.
At least those barbarians have learned that the eyes of the civilised world are watching them and regard them as a disgrace to humanity.
Disgusting in this day and age q
You mean the sentence or the overturning of said sentence?
Ted, you know damn well which one she meant.
Due to the successful international response of this story going viral and getting the outcome the rest of the world sought, can we not now push a little further to make this a meaningful excersise and seek the removal of this law which is a mere 30 years old to be completely abolished?
While it’s still fresh in our minds would not now be a good time for a more final outcome? There could be another victim of this sickening law next week which won’t make the international news and for me that’s not good enough.
What annoys me is Politicians giving their opinions and condemnations when we do not have a peep out of Muslim Clerics. These are the people who would make a difference to these Neanderthal people and their barbaric laws !
Neanderthals had more sense than the militant religious morons.
In the week when a religious nut in Northern Ireland sent Al Jazeera and the western media into a frenzy over his broadcasted belief regarding Islam and in Sudan a religious court had sentenced a woman to be hanged because of her religion I would have preferred the media to question all religious leaders about the lack of compassion and humanity in both sides of this debate rather than keep stirring it up.
BTW Were there any comments made by Islamic clerics in Ireland condemning or explaining the Sudanese court decision? If so it didn’t get any prominence. The apparent silence on this subject creates the possibility that many would believe that silence gives consent. The media should highlight the Irish Islamic position on the Sudanese situation and clear up any misunderstandings ASAP. Religious tolerance is a very basic human right an must be defended vigorously.
Well said Thomas, you hit the nail on the head. Silence can often be interpreted as approval.
Do we send “aid” to this barbaric government?
Well I hope she’s learned her lesson.
People don’t get sarcasm on the journal
I think its the sarcastic search engine responses from google….
If her husband is a US citizen surely he can ask the US for protection for her. As an exceptional case would she not be entitled to at least that, if not citizenship as the wife of a US citizen?
According to rte news this morning a minister has stated she Wil not be released that they know nothing of this early release and it it will have to go to the court of appeal
The hypocrisy here stinks.
Why was Cameron appealed as the article states? And why are Britain and Canada so outraged?
The sentence is similar to the ones metres out by Sharia Courts in ‘rebel’ controlled parts of Syria. The prime minister is perfectly aware of the punishments being metted out a daily basis in Syria yet he is not appalled. Canada, too, is perfectly aware yet it is even considering launching an unprovoked invasion of Syria, sorry I mean a ‘humanitarian intervention’.
Oh the hypocrisy. It just highlights how there is no objectivity or independence in the mainstream media.
Oh jesus, give it a rest and be thankful a woman doesn’t have to die due to international pressure pushed on the Sudanese government. Instead you’ve used it to have a go at the west yet again.
All religions should be banned. Bible, quran should be placed among science fiction. It’s unbelievable how some fairy tales created thousands years ago can still dictating people life
So you’d like to see this Christian woman released into a world where the practice of her religion is banned. Sheesh! Some respect for people’s rights there.
First of all she wouldn’t be in that position if there is no religion. Religion should be banned long time ago. It’s only drives backward civilization and progress
Marcin I wish I could give more than one green thumb for your comment! Religion is a foolish fairytale, it holds back progression and denies basic human rights, it should be outlawed in every country as it does way more harm than good!
Well said Rachel. I turned my back on religion some years ago.
Seriously mind your own business. Just because you have no time for religion does not mean you lot can force your views on us. Keep up with the hatred towards all religions and see an increase in extremists views and attitudes in all religions.
Nodding my head at your obvious ignorance.
Should never have happened.
Wow Karen *shakes head in disbelief* I have a right to comment here just like you! There are people on here giving out about Islam, is your problem with my comment the fact that I’m not picking on Islam, that I chose to say all religions? So I can give out about all others but stay away from yours, see Karen that’s part of the problem religion divides! In essence your doing exactly what that government is doing picking one above the other, that poor woman is a victim of religion because according to her government she is not choosing the right one! Religion is alive and well and there are lots of extremists out there so your argument that banning religion will cause more people to become extremist is absurd! Think about all the problems that would be solved if religion was no longer a factor, the world would be a far better place without it! Wake up Karen, open your eyes and look around, religion is just a fairy story, told to make a quick buck and keep people blind to what’s really going on!
You think about it you want it outlawed. You arent giving out about religion your down right hating on it and blaming it on what humans do.
Thats her government thats their country and not affecting you. While other religions have issues culturally the affect is combined in those countries. And culturally in majority of this country religion is growing to what it was meant to be long time ago. Not man made gibberish added in to control humans.
How many catholic extremists run around Ireland killing people? Or for that matter Islamic ones in Ireland.
Your trying to make religion the evil when its the humans in those countries who use religion that are evil.
And by the way this is about Sudanese law with sharia law not Catholics or budhas or any of the other religions in world who practice peacefully and dont give a toss if you believe or not.
.
Shows our tolerance more than yours.
p.s if you attack a persons nationality or religion,they become more staunch Nationalists or Religious.
Where as before they are just happy to live their lives and get on with their own business. In Majority.
Her husband is a US citizen so off they should go. Time to get out of that backwards hell hole.
Which do they start with the flogging or the hanging ? If it’s the hanging you’d be laughing because you’d be dead by the time the flogging starts.
Your might as well be flogging a dead horse telling that joke on here.
Cheers Jamsey, I think people probably appreciate the brilliance of the joke but don’t like it being mentioned in relation to this article. Having said that they are letting get go so I don’t know what’s wrong with them.
I actually had to read that a few times to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating, I’m not sure if your either A) incredibly stupid or B) a troll? Human rights effect everyone! For years Catholics have killed others because of religion especially in the north! I don’t hate religion I just don’t see the need for it! News for you, religion isn’t growing in Ireland it’s in decline! “Not man made gibberish” (???) not sure what that means as all religions are man made gibberish! Anyhoo I’ve spent far too much time engaging with you, I’ve little time for rightwing nut jobs such as yourself so peace out dude :)
Thank God, I hope she gets to safety quickly and lives a happy life
God?
It’s because of this fictional beast stuff like this happens.
Nope Dermot its because humans use the religions to control the weaker elements in society who are probably less educated.
Blame the country not the religion. Plenty of Countries who have Muslims in them and they dont do any of what happens in countries like these.
P.s how do you know,No such thing as God?
Seriously would love to see your proof.
I’d like to see your proof such a thing exists, the burden of proof lies with you.
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