BREAKING NEWS 24 July 2014: Meriam Yehya Ibrahim and her family left Sudan and arrived in Italy earlier this morning. Amnesty International continues to press the government of Sudan to change the laws so that no one ever has to endure this kind of ordeal again.
Under the weight of massive, truly impressive worldwide pressure, Sudan overturned Meriam Yehya Ibrahim’s death sentence and released her from prison.
Over 1,000,000 Amnesty International supporters and members in Canada and worldwide spoke up for Meriam!
After being sentenced to 100 lashes and death by hanging, after over four months in prison with her 20-month-old son Martin, and after giving birth to daughter Maya on a floor in shackles, Meriam was released from prison and re-united with her husband Daniel.
But this happy family re-union turned sour very quickly. Sudanese officials detained Meriam and her family at the airport as they were trying to leave Sudan. Meriam has been charged with attempting to travel with false documents. Meriam, Daniel, and their two children are now living in the US Embassy in Khartoum while these new charges are addressed. Meriam may be out of prison but she is not yet truly free.
What an unimaginable ordeal this has been for Meriam! What a testimony to her strength that she held firm to her beliefs despite the injustice and mistreatment she experienced.
Meriam’s story has inspired human rights supporters the world over, and forced heads of governments to stand with her and demand justice.
Meriam has taken a stand for freedom of religion and freedom of expression, rights we hold dearly. And they are rights that only grow stronger when we defend them. And she has drawn attention to the violations of women’s human rights that take place daily in Sudan.
The international pressure helped defend these rights. And more importantly, helped spare this incredible woman from the death penalty.
Of course, Amnesty’s work is not done in this story. We will continue to follow Meriam’s case until she is safely out of harm’s way. And we will advocate for gender equalilty, an end to the death penalty and other human rights abuses that continue to be committed in Sudan.
We will urge Sudan to:
• end the inhumane practice of flogging as a punishment
• remove apostasy and adultery from the criminal code
• establish a moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolishing the death penalty, and
• end gender-based violence and discrimination
Tremendous victories like this give us hope for others who still need dedicated people like you and a strong organization like Amnesty International to defend their rights.
Thank you for the part you have played in this remarkable story!
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