Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag and her family were met in Rome by Prime Minister,
Matteo Renzi, who said:
"Today is a day of celebration." There was global condemnation when she was sentenced to hang for apostasy. Her father is Muslim so according to Sudan's version of Islamic law she is also Muslim and cannot convert.
Lapo Pistelli, Italy's vice-minister for foreign affairs, accompanied her on the flight from Khartoum and posted a photo of himself with Mrs Ibrahim and her children on his facebook account as they were about to land in Rome.
"Mission accomplished," he wrote.
Vatican spokesman,
Rev. Federico Lombardi said the pope
'thanked her for her faith and courage, and she thanked him for his prayer and solidarity' during the half-hour meeting. He blessed Ms Ibrahim as she held her baby daughter Maya in her arms whom she gave birth to in prison two months ago.
A senior Sudanese official told
Reuters news agency that Sudan's government had approved her departure in advance. Mrs Ibrahim's husband,
Daniel Wani, also a Christian, is from South Sudan and has US nationality. Their daughter Maya was born in prison in May, shortly after Mrs Ibrahim was sentenced to hang for apostasy - renouncing one's faith.
Under intense international pressure, her conviction was quashed and she was freed in June. She was given South Sudanese travel documents but was arrested at Khartoum airport, with Sudanese officials saying the travel documents were fake. These new charges meant she was not allowed to leave the country but she was released into the custody of the US embassy in Khartoum.
Ms Ibrahim's stay in Italy was organised by the Italian government in collaboration with the Sudanese government. Mr Wani's brother Gabriel said:
‘It’s beautiful news. All the hard work has paid off. I want to thank everyone who helped to free her. ‘It’s just wonderful. I don’t have to worry any more. It’s over.
Photo Credit: Associated Press AP] / Reuters
No comments:
Post a Comment