Monday 23 June 2014

Sudanese mother who was sentenced to death for 'converting to Christianity' is FREED

Free at least: Meriam poses hours after her release with her husband, Daniel (left) and her children, Martin (on Daniel's knee) and baby Maya and all those who bravely fought for her freedom in Sudan

Smiling at the camera as she celebrates her freedom, this is the first picture of Meriam Ibrahim since she was suddenly released from prison in Sudan on Monday.

In an exclusive picture obtained by MailOnline, the mother-of-two is seen holding her baby daughter Maya who was born in prison whilst she was shackled to the ground.
On her right is her husband Daniel Wani, a Christian American citizen, who beams proudly with their son Martin, 21 months, by his knee and the couple's legal team around them.
Safwan Abobaker, an activist who works with religious campaign group Hardwired, which provided MailOnline with the picture, said: 'It's a happy day'.
The photo was taken at the safe house where Meriam is now hiding out.
The 27-year-old woman was sentenced to death last month for converting from Islam to Christianity. The case triggered an international outcry. She gave birth to a baby daughter while in prison.
'The appeal court ordered the release of Mariam Yahya and the cancellation of the (previous) court ruling,' Sudan's SUNA news agency said. The couple's 21-month-old son was also held in prison with Ms Ibrahim and newborn Maya.
Her lawyer Shareif Ali Shareif confirmed to MailOnline that she had been released after the court of appeal in Khartoum accepted her appeal and overturned the death sentence.
'She has been released from prison and she is on her way home with the children,' he said.
'She is very happy and the children are fine.
'Her husband Daniel Wani is overjoyed. He is so happy he is almost crying.'
He added that for now she was staying in Khartoum.
MailOnline has led the way in highlighting the plight of Ms Ibrahim, who was sentenced to death on May 15. After international pressure a government official said on May 31 that Sudanese officials were working to release her.
She was only finally freed this afternoon.
Ms Ibrahim's lawyer Mohaned Mostafa said after her release she had been sent 'to an unknown house to stay at for her protection and security.'
'Her family had been threatened before and we are worried that someone might try to harm her,' he said.
In an interview with CNN earlier this month, Al Samani Al Hadi Mohamed Abdullah said that if Meriam was killed, it would have 'enforced God's word' because she broke sharia. He has threatened to kill her himself if she was not executed. 
Ms Ibrahim is married to Daniel Wani, an American citizen who is Christian. 
Mr Wani’s brother Gabriel, who lives in Manchester, New Hampshire, said: 'If it’s true it is great news. Knowing him he will want to bring her back to America as soon as he can. I hope he can do that.’
Safwan Abobaker, an activist who works with religious campaign group Hardwired, which is based in the United States, said that the pressure to release Ms Ibrahim paid off.
He said: ‘The Sudanese government was embarrassed by all the attention so they freed her.
‘It’s better for her to come to America now as her half brother said that he would kill her if the court did not carry out the sentence.
‘The Sudanese government needs to protect Meriam and the U.S. embassy in Sudan needs to find a way of bringing her to America quickly.
‘The U.S. government needs to grant Meriam asylum or find a way to let her come to America right away. She needs to come to America.’

Dailym

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