By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
After an international outrage and widespread condemnation following the death sentence of a pregnant, Christian Sudanese woman accused apostasy and adultery for her marriage to a Christian man, the Sudanese Government has publicly stated it would instead release Meriam Yehya Ibrahim from custody.
BBC News reports that Abdullahi Alzareg, an under-secretary at the foreign ministry, said Sudan guaranteed religious freedom and was committed to protecting the woman who was to be release in a few days.
We had previously reported the plight of Meriam and how this death sentence clearly violated the Constitution of Sudan HERE and HERE. Merriam was raised by her Ethiopian Christian mother after her Muslim father abandoned her and the rest of her family. She was only six when the father walked away from the family. She is a Muslim in the eyes of Islamic law and thus, starting at age 6, her adoption of Christianity makes her an apostate. Furthermore, she was sentenced as an adulterer for her relations with her Christian husband and sentenced to 100 lashes after she delivered her child. Since Sharia law does not recognize her marriage to her husband Daniel Wani, she is treated as an adulterous. Her husband is disabled.
She was arrested in August 2013 after her own brother invoked Sharia law and opened a case against her and her husband for alleged adultery.
Merriam recently gave birth and can hopefully soon be together with her husband Daniel Wani and family. Dani is a U.S. citizen and his newborn child has birthright citizenship.
This is very welcome news and a testament to how international pressure can sometimes foster justice, even if it is long overdue. Yet, much more needs to be done for those who are less visible, living in oppressive states, awaiting the same human dignity and advocacy of their needs.
By Darren Smith
Source: BBC News
The views expressed in this posting are the author’s alone and not those of the blog, the host, or other weekend bloggers. As an open forum, weekend bloggers post independently without pre-approval or review. Content and any displays or art are solely their decision and responsibility.
I will make up a list of the GOP mouthers who dis Obama for trading with the enema. Then I will send it to the parents of the hostage. They are planning a tour in each of the states when these Gophers come up for re-election.
BK, The 5 Taliban were captured from the battlefield. They had killed US and Allied soldiers. They killed thousand of Shiite Muslims in an ethnic cleansing. They were not terrorists picked off the streets of some Middle Eastern city. They were war criminal POW’s. Obama did not close Gitmo as he promised. But, he did stop the increases in its population. He stopped capturing terrorists. He just killed them w/ hundreds of drone strikes, including US citizens.
Oh no!
Now we can’t have the next holy crusades … bummer.
Karen:
The movie is absolutely heartbreaking. Good? From my perspective yes but that is subjective. It is not cinematically poorly done if that is what you ask. I find good in truth and there is truth there.
nick, None of those at gitmo have been formally charged or put on trial. They are innocent since they haven’t been found guilty.
Nick,
What did you think of the deal Reagan made for the Iran hostages?
What did you think of the deal that Bush/Cheney made with us in going along with the Iraq invasion?
What do you think of the Israeli’s deals when they trade 200 prisoners for one Israeli soldier?
What would you have traded to get Daniel Pearl back?
So what if Bergdahl saw stuff that left him sickened by the war? It happens to lots of soldiers – maybe some of those men who are now committing suicide.. Does that mean they should be left to rot? How would you feel if you saw Afghan children run over by tanks?
Jamie, You are showing to have an open mind. Please go to the Military Times Facebook page. Read what people who served w/ Bergdahl have to say. Lives were lost trying to find him. I understand POW’s. My dad had 2 friends in Japanese and German POW camps. The friend in Japanese custody came home weighing 104lbs[6 foot]. He had neurological and psychological damage. Reading Unbroken made me cry daily seeing what my dad’s friend endured. My dad and 5 uncles served in WW2. Jamie, this is a real bad deal.
Also, I guess Obama isn’t such a wuzz, is he? Pretty courageous move, I’d say.
Nick, the US has thousands of troops in 70 countries. If Israel can exchange prisoners with its mortal enemies, I don’t see why the US can’t do the same. There comes a time when reconciliation is the next step. While dangers will always be present in a war torn country, without some type of ‘meeting of the minds’ this war will go on forever. Endless wars with stateless enemies is not the answer. Should US go back into Iraq because Iraq is now negotiating with its once sworn enemy, Iran?
I understand your concerns and they are certainly legitimate, but something has to change, or nothing will ever change.
If you want to read what Bergdahl’s comrades in arms think of him, go to the Army Times Facebook page. It has lit up w/ comments. It seems the Sgt. stated, just prior to going missing, that he was ashamed to be an American. He was drinking and smoking hashish w/ local Afghans and wandered off. All of the men in his troop were appalled the war was put on hold to search for Bergdahl. This is looking more disgraceful by the minute. There’s a very interesting comment written by someone who appears to have been in Bergdahl’s troop. The comment was written some time ago and predicts he will be released @ a politically opportune time, maybe midterm elections. Well, it turned to be a politically DESPERATE time for Obama.
As I said about this brave woman in Sudan. Social media was key in her anticipated release. Social media is giving us an inside look @ this shady swap.
Gee, I pretty much thought all Americans were already at great risk in Afghanistan and Pakistan and even in Iraq.
Nick believes “Mission Accomplished” was a cartoon. So do I. That includes the positioning of the carrier so that shots of the President would show ocean in the background – not land. Presidents have huge staffs that take care of these things. They would have been sure to notice and approve the banner “Mission Accomplished”. Hell, they were quite accomplished in removing hand held 24×20″ unfriendly posters in more neutral environs . “Mission Accomplished” was the message. The message was received and later debunked.
or devolves.