Write on Behalf of the Sudanese Pregnant Woman, Sentenced to Death for Her Christian Faith, Appealing To Sudan’s Government to Release Her

Open Doors Staff : May 22, 2014
Open Doors USA

"Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy." -Prov. 31:8-9

EDITOR'S NOTE: What a fantastic proverb is #31:8-9, and how well it describes this situation with Meriam Ibrahim, our sister-in-the-Lord. Open Doors is providing the Body of Christ this opportunity to make our voices heard in her defense, and they've made it pretty easy for us. Please take a few minutes and copy the sample letter contained in this article and send it to several of the Sudanese officials below. And let's continue to pray for her release. –Aimee Herd, BCN.

Meriam Yahia Ibrahim is a 27-year-old Sudanese doctor due to have her second baby next month. She has been condemned to death by hanging, after refusing to renounce her Christian faith, despite pressure on her to do so, even in court.

Would you join with us in helping to keep this brave Christian woman alive?

Please take a moment to send this letter to some key government officials in Sudan. Be sure to read the guidelines and information provided, to ensure this is sent to the proper officials.

Thank you for helping to keep this strong Christian woman alive!

Open Doors

Guidelines:

• Please use only the sample letter.
• Please send letters to the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and your local Sudanese Embassy/Consulate with copies to the Minister of Interior (Addresses below)
• Do not mention Open Doors

Sample letter (below):

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Your Excellency,

I am writing to express my great concern over the case of Sudanese citizen, Mrs. Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag.

Mrs. Ibrahim was born to an Ethiopian Christian mother and a Muslim Sudanese father, but she was raised by her mother. Mrs. Ibrahim considers herself a Christian and married a Christian man in a church ceremony which was accepted by the authorities. However, on February 17 this year, Mrs. Ibrahim was arrested and charged with adultery under article 146 and apostasy under article 126 of the Criminal Code and taken into prison along with her infant child. She is in her ninth month of pregnancy. On May 11 she was sentenced to 100 lashes and to death by hanging by the Public Order Court in El Haj Yousif, Khartoum.

We are deeply concerned over the conditions the expecting Mrs. Ibrahim is facing in prison and about the fact that her infant child is incarcerated with her and denied access to his father. We are also concerned over the fact that Mrs. Ibrahim is denied medical attention and antenatal care for her unborn child.

According to international human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Sudan is a State Party, everyone has the right to freedom of religion. This includes the "freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching."

I respectfully petition your intervention in this case. I call upon the government of Sudan as state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to respect Mrs. Ibrahim's right to freedom of religion by allowing her to freely practice her Christian faith. I therefore appeal that you ensure that both sentences against Mrs. Ibrahim be rescinded, and that she is freed immediately and unconditionally so that she and her child can be reunited with her husband.

I call upon your government to approach Mrs. Ibrahim's case with justice and compassion that is in keeping with the values of the Sudanese people.

Yours sincerely,

{First Name}, {Last Name}
{Country}

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{Addresses}

Minister of Justice
Mohamed Bushara Dousa
Ministry of Justice
Email: moj@moj.gov.sd

Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ali Ahmed Karti
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Email: ministry@mfa.gov.sd
Fax: +249 183 764 168 / +249 183 770 883

Minister of Interior
Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamed
Ministry of Interior
Email: mut@isoc.sd

President of Sudan
HE Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir
Office of the President
Fax: + 249 183 783223