Mariam [Meriam] Yahia Ibrahim Ishag or Maryam Yaḥyā Ibrahīm Isḥaq (مريم يحيى إبراهيم إسحق, born 3 November 1987 in Al Qadarif state, Sudan)[1] is a Sudanese religious freedom activist and public speaker.
[3] Meriam Ibrahim was born to a Sudanese Muslim father, who left her Ethiopian Orthodox mother to raise her from early childhood.
[4] Meriam Ibrahim was reportedly turned in to the authorities by one of her relatives, who claimed Mariam was committing adultery by marrying Daniel Wani, a Christian.
The following day, as she and her family were to board a plane to the United States, they were arrested and taken from the airport to Khartoum for questioning following a tip-off to the police by her half-brother.
[10] After extensive negotiations to enable her to leave Sudan, Meriam Ibrahim arrived in Rome on 24 July 2014 on an Italian government plane.
She was therefore also sentenced to receive 100 lashes for adultery, in spite of the sexual relations having been only with her husband, with the flogging to be administered some time in advance of being hanged.
[25] Mohamed Jar Elnabi, a lawyer representing Meriam Ibrahim, said police and the judge prevented her husband, Wani, going into the court.
[1] Daniel Wani claims in a report from Christian Today the family and supporters were violently handled, the lawyers were beaten and thrown out of the airport.
The United Kingdom government described the sentence as "barbaric" and a UK minister was "truly appalled", noting that Sudan breached international human rights obligations.
A joint statement from embassies of Britain, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United States before sentencing also expressed "deep concern", urging "justice and compassion".
[38] Christian groups have been campaigning for Meriam Ibrahim but Islamic extremists also lobbied according to prominent newspaper editor Khalid Tigani.
[43] World Council of Churches general secretary, Dr Olav Fykse Tveit considers the sentence unjust and reminds president Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese constitution guarantees all citizens the "right to the freedom of religious creed and worship".
[46] The European Union called for revocation of the "inhuman verdict" and John Kerry urged Sudan to repeal laws banning Muslims from joining other faiths.
"[47] Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director Sarah Jackson said: "Today's ruling is a small step to redressing the injustice done to Meriam.
[16] After Meriam and her family took refuge in the US Embassy, the Italian government offered help to speed up the process of getting U.S. passports, given its good relation with Sudan, and vice-minister for foreign affairs Lapo Pistelli flew to the Sudanese capital to that end.
[58][59][60][61][62] Meriam Ibrahim is advocating for other victims of religious persecution and women who face gender based violence and domestic abuse.
So instead of protecting people, the law is harming them.I put my life at risk for the women of Sudan and for Christians live under difficult circumstances, persecuted and treated harshly.