SUDAN: Churches Issue a Statement Condemning the Death Sentence of a Sudanese Woman Accused of Apostasy
Churches in Sudan have issued a
joint statement to condemn the death sentence to a Christian Sudanese woman who
was accused of apostasy by the government of Sudan.
joint statement to condemn the death sentence to a Christian Sudanese woman who
was accused of apostasy by the government of Sudan.
Speaking via phone from Khartoum,
the Vice Secretary General of Sudan Catholic Bishop Conference Fr. Butros Trille
Kuku, told AMECEA Online News that the
statement termed as false the charges which were laid against the 27 year-old
Meriam Yehya Ibrahim who is eight months pregnant and appealed to the
government to reconsider and let her free.
the Vice Secretary General of Sudan Catholic Bishop Conference Fr. Butros Trille
Kuku, told AMECEA Online News that the
statement termed as false the charges which were laid against the 27 year-old
Meriam Yehya Ibrahim who is eight months pregnant and appealed to the
government to reconsider and let her free.
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| Meriam Yehya Ibrahim and her husband Daniel Wani |
According to her husband, Daniel
Wani, his wife is a Catholic. She used to be an Orthodox but she converted to
Catholic before they got married, the claims which were not confirmed by Fr.
Butros Trille Kuku when asked by AMECEA Online News. “I am not very sure
whether she is a Catholic or not, I will find out,” he said.
Wani, his wife is a Catholic. She used to be an Orthodox but she converted to
Catholic before they got married, the claims which were not confirmed by Fr.
Butros Trille Kuku when asked by AMECEA Online News. “I am not very sure
whether she is a Catholic or not, I will find out,” he said.
The court also convicted her of
adultery and sentenced her to 100 lashes because her marriage to a Christian
man is considered void under Sharia law.
adultery and sentenced her to 100 lashes because her marriage to a Christian
man is considered void under Sharia law.
Meriam says she was born to a
Sudanese Muslim father and an Ethiopian Orthodox mother. Her father left when
she was age 6, and she was raised by her mother as a Christian. Meriam Ibrahim
is a Christian, but Muslim authorities still consider her a Muslim.Muslim women in Sudan are banned from marrying non-Muslims, and
children must follow their father’s religion by law. However, Muslim men by law
also, are allowed to Marry Christian women.
Sudanese Muslim father and an Ethiopian Orthodox mother. Her father left when
she was age 6, and she was raised by her mother as a Christian. Meriam Ibrahim
is a Christian, but Muslim authorities still consider her a Muslim.Muslim women in Sudan are banned from marrying non-Muslims, and
children must follow their father’s religion by law. However, Muslim men by law
also, are allowed to Marry Christian women.
Sudanese parliament speaker
FatihIzz Al-Deen said the verdict is not final and is in the hands of the
judiciary.But,he said that her claims that she was raised as a non-Muslim are not
true. “She is a Muslim raised in an Islamic environment and her brother, a
Muslim, filed the complaint against her,” he said.
FatihIzz Al-Deen said the verdict is not final and is in the hands of the
judiciary.But,he said that her claims that she was raised as a non-Muslim are not
true. “She is a Muslim raised in an Islamic environment and her brother, a
Muslim, filed the complaint against her,” he said.
The complaint (her brother) alleged
that Meriam went missing for several years and her family was shocked to find
out that she got married to a Christian. In Sudan, if father was a Muslim, the
courts consider that a girl child to be also Muslim; that would mean Meriam’s
marriage to a non-Muslim man to be null and void.
that Meriam went missing for several years and her family was shocked to find
out that she got married to a Christian. In Sudan, if father was a Muslim, the
courts consider that a girl child to be also Muslim; that would mean Meriam’s
marriage to a non-Muslim man to be null and void.
Currently, Meriam is in prison
with her 20-month-old infant, and she is getting regular ailments due to lack
of hygiene and the presence of bugs.
with her 20-month-old infant, and she is getting regular ailments due to lack
of hygiene and the presence of bugs.
Meanwhile, Sudan was named among the worst
places in the world to be able to practice one’s faith.
places in the world to be able to practice one’s faith.
According to a report published
by CNN 15th May 2014, since 1999, the U.S. State Department has
tracked the world’s worst abusers of religious rights.
by CNN 15th May 2014, since 1999, the U.S. State Department has
tracked the world’s worst abusers of religious rights.
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| Fr. Santino Maurino, Former SG (SCBC) |
The country penalizes blasphemy
and conversion from Islam, as it is the case of last week of sentencing a
Christian woman to death.
and conversion from Islam, as it is the case of last week of sentencing a
Christian woman to death.
On 12 April 2013, the government
expelled the former Secretary General of Sudan Catholic Bishops Conference
(SCBC), Khartoum Secretariat, Fr. Santino Maurino Mokoromomo out of the country
on allegation that he was behind the operation of the language school (Clik) which was under the
ownership of the Catholic Secretariat, that was accused of spreading
Christianity in the country, instead of being an mere educational/language centre.
Likewise the government has also arrested and deported Western Christians
suspected of spreading their faith.
expelled the former Secretary General of Sudan Catholic Bishops Conference
(SCBC), Khartoum Secretariat, Fr. Santino Maurino Mokoromomo out of the country
on allegation that he was behind the operation of the language school (Clik) which was under the
ownership of the Catholic Secretariat, that was accused of spreading
Christianity in the country, instead of being an mere educational/language centre.
Likewise the government has also arrested and deported Western Christians
suspected of spreading their faith.
SOURCE: AMECEA Social
Communications and News Agencies
Communications and News Agencies
