Press release

Minister for Africa welcomes release of Meriam Ibrahim in Sudan

Mark Simmonds welcomes release of Meriam Ibrahim and calls on Government of Sudan to guarantee religious freedom for all.

From:
Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Mark Simmonds
Published
24 July 2014
This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Commenting after Meriam Ibrahim, who had previously been sentenced to death for apostasy, boarded a plane leaving Sudan with her family, Minister for Africa Mark Simmonds said:

I am delighted that Meriam Ibrahim has been able to leave the country safely with her family.

I welcome last month鈥檚 decision by the appeal court to overturn the barbaric sentence handed down in May. Freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental human right enshrined in both international human rights law and Sudan鈥檚 own 2005 Interim Constitution. I call on the Government of Sudan to reflect on the lessons of Meriam鈥檚 case and ensure that this right is upheld for all.

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Published 24 July 2014