Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Friday, May 16, 2014
Sudanese Woman Sentenced To Flogging and Death For Apostasy and Supposed Adultery
CNN reports that in Khartoum, Sudan this week, a court has sentenced 27-year old Meriam Yehya Ibrahim to death by hanging for apostasy and to 100 lashes for adultery after she refused to recant her Christian faith. Ibrahim was born to a Sudanese Muslim father and an Ethiopian Orthodox mother. Her father left when she was 6 years old and she was raised by her mother as a Christian. She married, has a 20-month old son and is 8 months pregnant with their second child. However because her father was Muslim, under Sudanese personal status law (based on Sharia) Ibrahim is still considered Muslim, and her marriage to a non-Muslim man is considered void-- hence the adultery charge. Ibrahim is in custody with her 20-month old son. The verdict can be appealed. Amnesty International has strongly protested the sentence.