Bishops ask Sudanese government to remove charge of apostasy in its penal code

by Rowena Orejana
WELLINGTON – New Zealand bishops have “strongly urged” the government of Sudan to remove the charge of apostasy in its penal code following the sentencing of Christian Sudanese mother, Meriam Ibrahim to 100 lashes and death.

Meriam Ibrahim, a heavily pregnant Christian Sudanese woman, was jailed for not renouncing her faith.

In a letter to Sudanese Ambassador Abd Al Rahim Al Siddig Mohamed Omer dated June 24, New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference President Archbishop John Dew said while they are relieved that the charges against her had been dropped and that she is free, “it is a gross injustice that Meriam Ibrahim was charged at all”.
He said the situation “was a matter of grave concern to us and all New Zealanders”.
Mrs Ibrahim was initially sentenced to public flogging for adultery by the Sudanese court which invalidated her marriage to an American-South Sudanese Christian. She was also sentenced to death for apostasy or abandonment of her religion.
Archbishop Dew said apostasy should not even be considered a crime. “Section 38 of the interim Constitution of your country gives citizens the right to freedom of worship and creed. Sudan has acceded to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which in Article 18 gives the right to freedom of religion. These commitments made by Sudan’s government should have meant that apostasy could not be a crime in Sudan’s penal code,” he said in the letter.
The bishops expressed their concern for Mrs Ibrahim and those who have been charged with or convicted of apostasy in Sudan. They said the Ibrahim case had adversely affected people’s view of Sudan.
“We have deep respect for the great faith of Islam, and are concerned that the way it is perceived will also be damaged by the action taken against Meriam Ibrahim, even though the charges were overturned on appeal. Removing the charge of apostasy from the penal code would do much to overcome the adverse effects of the Ibrahim case,” Archbishop Dew said in the letter.
The charges against Mrs Ibrahim were dropped due to international pressure on June 24. She was again detained the day after allegedly trying to use fraudulent travel documents.
Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services posted on its Facebook page that she was arrested by the airport passport police after she presented emergency travel documents issued by the South Sudanese embassy and carrying an American visa.
The Sudanese government considered Mrs Ibrahim a Muslim, even though she was brought up a Christian, because her father was a Muslim. As a Muslim, she was not allowed to marry a Christian.
Her marriage was invalidated and the Sudanese government considered her actions criminal.
Mrs Ibrahim was eventually released on June 26, however, as of press time, she remained at the US embassy in Sudan.Mrs Ibrahim was eventually released on June 26.
Right to Life spokesperson Ken Orr expressed appreciation for the bishops’ statement. “The Catholic Bishops have responded in a very positive way,” he said.
Right to Life is encouraging New Zealanders to urge the government to join the international community in calling upon the government of Sudan to respect the right to life.
“The fact that a woman could be sentenced to death for her religious choice, and to flogging for being married to a man of an allegedly different religion is abhorrent. This is a violation of her inalienable right to life,” he said.

fb-share-icon
Posted in

Rowena Orejana

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *