Woman Sentenced to Death for Christianity Gives Birth

Meriam Yehya Ibrahim's husband hasn't been allowed to see her, baby
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted May 27, 2014 7:36 AM CDT
Woman Sentenced to Death for Christianity Gives Birth
Southern Sudanese hold crosses as they wait to vote in the Southern Sudan Referendum at polling center in Chicago, Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011.   (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

The 27-year-old Sudanese woman sentenced to death for refusing to renounce Christianity gave birth in prison this morning, her lawyer confirms. Meriam Yehya Ibrahim, who was sentenced to be hanged two years after having her baby, has also had her 20-month-old son in prison with her since late February. She was convicted of both apostasy and adultery, since her Christian marriage is not recognized by Sudan. Her husband, Daniel Wani, is in Sudan but has not yet been allowed to see her or the baby, Ibrahim's lawyer tells the Telegraph.

Ibrahim's lawyers have appealed, claiming the conviction is unconstitutional and violates an international rights agreement; Sudan's 2005 constitution guarantees freedom of religion, Bloomberg reports. Wani, who left Sudan for the US in 1998, recently traveled to Sudan from his home in New Hampshire to try and save his wife, the Guardian reports. He and Ibrahim met in Khartoum and wed there in 2012, and he had been working to bring her to the US, where he became a citizen in 2005. The Sudanese authorities reportedly won't release his son to him because of his religion. (More Sudan stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X