Sudan death row woman Meriam Ibrahim 'detained'

June 24, 2014

A Sudanese woman freed from death row on Monday has been detained with her family at Khartoum airport, sources have told the BBC.

    

Meriam Ibrahim was sentenced in May to hang for renouncing Islam, sparking widespread outrage at home and abroad.

About 40 security agents detained Mrs Ibrahim - along with her husband, Daniel Wani and two children - at the airport, the sources said.

A top Sudanese official has told the BBC she would be freed "soon".

Abdullahi Alzareg from the ministry of foreign affairs told the BBC's Newshour programme that Mrs Ibrahim had been arrested because she did not have the correct travel documents.

Although she is Sudanese, she was using emergency South Sudanese papers with a US visa, he said.

Her husband is a Christian from what is now South Sudan and has US nationality.

One of Mrs Ibrahim's lawyers, el-Shareef Ali, told the BBC that her legal team is being denied access to her.

She was released from prison on Monday after an appeal court annulled the death sentence imposed on her.

​Meriam Ibrahim with her husband Daniel Wani (L), children and legal team after her release in Khartoum ​Meriam Ibrahim with her husband Daniel Wani (L), children and legal team after her release in Khartoum
    

She was arrested in February, and gave birth to a daughter in prison not long after being sentenced.

The family has been taken to the headquarters of one of Sudan's security agencies, the sources said.

Before she was detained on Tuesday, Western countries had welcomed the decision to rescind the death penalty.

***

Analysis: James Copnall, former BBC Sudan correspondent

The National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) is an extremely powerful body, which frequently intervenes in Sudanese politics.

It is a key part of the informal coalition - also comprising the military, Islamists and pragmatists - which rules Sudan.

The different components are constantly jockeying for a better position.

In recent times, NISS has been flexing its muscles.

It is very possible that NISS did not like the decision to release Meriam Ibrahim, and re-arresting her and her family was a way of making this point to the rest of the Sudanese government.

However, security is not a homogenous entity either.

It is also conceivable that one part of NISS accepted Mrs Ibrahim's release, while another section was not happy with it.

Mrs Ibrahim's release and re-arrest simply underlines the fact that there are many decision-makers in Sudanese politics, and they do not always agree with each other.

***

Born to a Muslim father, Mrs Ibrahim, 27, married Mr Wani in 2011.

Sudan has a majority Muslim population, and Islamic law has been in force there since the 1980s.

Even though Mrs Ibrahim was brought up as an Orthodox Christian, the authorities considered her to be a Muslim because that is the religion of her father.

BBC

6/24/2014

See also
Sudan death sentence woman 'freed' Sudan death sentence woman 'freed' Sudan death sentence woman 'freed' Sudan death sentence woman 'freed'
A Sudanese woman sentenced to death for abandoning her Islamic faith has been freed from jail, her lawyer has told the BBC.
Reports from Sudan claim Meriam Ibrahim 'to be freed' from death-row Reports from Sudan claim Meriam Ibrahim 'to be freed' from death-row Reports from Sudan claim Meriam Ibrahim 'to be freed' from death-row Reports from Sudan claim Meriam Ibrahim 'to be freed' from death-row
Reports suggest Sudanese woman may be released within days, but her lawyers claim it's a ploy to silence outcry
Meriam Yehya Ibrahim: International pressure rises against execution of pregnant Christian Sudanese woman jailed for apostasy Meriam Yehya Ibrahim: International pressure rises against execution of pregnant Christian Sudanese woman jailed for apostasy Meriam Yehya Ibrahim: International pressure rises against execution of pregnant Christian Sudanese woman jailed for apostasy Meriam Yehya Ibrahim: International pressure rises against execution of pregnant Christian Sudanese woman jailed for apostasy
International pressure is mounting for Sudan to release Meriam Yehya Ibrahim, a pregnant Christian woman on death row.
U.S. citizen rushes to Sudan to save pregnant wife from hanging for Christian faith U.S. citizen rushes to Sudan to save pregnant wife from hanging for Christian faith U.S. citizen rushes to Sudan to save pregnant wife from hanging for Christian faith U.S. citizen rushes to Sudan to save pregnant wife from hanging for Christian faith
Daniel Wani, a Sudanese immigrant with U.S. citizenship, is fighting for his wife's life after she was jailed with their 18-month-old son and sentenced to death last week for refusing to recant her Christian faith.
Petition opened to free Meriam Yeyha Ibrahim Petition opened to free Meriam Yeyha Ibrahim Petition opened to free Meriam Yeyha Ibrahim Petition opened to free Meriam Yeyha Ibrahim
This week a Khartoum court convicted his wife, Meriam Yehya Ibrahim, 27, of apostasy, or the renunciation of faith. 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.
Christian Pregnant Mother in Sudan Sentenced to Death, 100 Lashes on Mother's Day Christian Pregnant Mother in Sudan Sentenced to Death, 100 Lashes on Mother's Day Christian Pregnant Mother in Sudan Sentenced to Death, 100 Lashes on Mother's Day Christian Pregnant Mother in Sudan Sentenced to Death, 100 Lashes on Mother's Day
The woman, 27-year old Meriam Yahia Ibrahim, received the sentencing on Sunday, when the U.S. celebrated Mother's Day. She appeared before El Haj Yousif Public Order Court in Khartoum, Sudan.
Comments
Here you can leave your comment on the present article, not exceeding 4000 characters. All comments will be read by the editors of OrthoChristian.Com.
Enter through FaceBook
Your name:
Your e-mail:
Enter the digits, seen on picture:

Characters remaining: 4000

Subscribe
to our mailing list

* indicates required
×