Yesterday, Sudanese officials told the media that a
27-year-old woman imprisoned and sentenced to death for being a Christian would
be set free within a number of days, but now it seems that might not be the
case.
Mariam Yahya Ibrahim, who was raised as an Orthodox
Christian by her mother, was told by a Sudanese court back in May that she must
renounce her faith. She refused, and received a sentence of death by hanging.
Ibrahim was eight-months-pregnant during the apostasy trial, and last week gave
birth while in prison. She is currently being held in jail, along with her
other child, 20-month-old Martin.
Over the weekend, the
country's Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary Abdelah Al-Azrak told Reuters that
"The related authorities in the country are working to release Mariam
(Yahya Ibrahim), who was sentenced to death for apostasy, through legal
measures," adding, "I expect her to be released soon."
But neither Ibrahim's lawyer or her husband, a U.S. citizen,
said they knew of any plans for her release. And today Sudan's foreign ministry
spokesman Abubakar Al-Sidiq also said he was not aware of any plans for her
release.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim's husband Daniel Wani says that he
doesn't think his wife will back down. "I know my wife. She's
committed," he said, adding, "I'm hoping that, given the way people
have come together around the world — which I want to thank them for... perhaps
it will result in the judgment being overturned." Under Sudanese law, only
an appeals court has the power to release her.
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