The Sudanese court sentenced a pregnant woman to death after she refused to renounce her Christian faith.
According to ABC news, the Islamic court found Meriam Yehya Ibrahim, 27, guilty of apostasy, or the renunciation of faith.
Ibrahim was eight months pregnant and had been “shackled in prison with swollen legs,” since February, along with her 20-month-old son, Martin. A request to send her to a private hospital was denied “due to security measures.”
Junior Sabrina Liu said, “I think this was unfair towards Ibrahim. Everyone should have the right to freedom of religion, and she was punished for it.”
Ibrahim’s father left when she was six years old, and her Christian mother had raised her. The court considered her Muslim, because of her Muslim father. When she refused to recant her Christian faith, they sentenced her to hang.
According to CNN, when asked to recant, Ibrahim said, “I am a Christian, and I will remain a Christian.”
The court also accused her of adultery, because of her marriage to Daniel Wani, an American citizen and follower of Christianity. Under the Sudanese law code, or Sharia law, Ibrahim’s marriage was considered void because of Wani’s religion. As a result, the court sentenced her to 100 lashes.
Senior Sarah Lew said, “It’s not right that she is going to be punished so severely for this. I don’t think her marriage should be considered adultery just because her husband is not a Muslim man.”
Wani had been living in Manchester, N.H. with his brother and returned to Sudan to try to save his wife’s life.
According to CNN, Ibrahim’s attorney Jar Elnabi said that Wani uses a wheelchair and “totally depends on her for all details of his life. He cannot live without her.”
Ibrahim’s son has also experienced hardships in prison. According to Elnabi, he “is always getting sick due to lack of hygiene and bugs.”
According to ABC news, the United States condemned Sudan’s court ruling as a violation of human rights, and both the White House and the State Department called for Sudan to uphold its commitments.
The Sudanese court has delayed the flogging and hanging until after Ibrahim gives birth.
Sophomore Kelly Liu said, “I hope that this conflict will be resolved soon. I don’t think [Ibrahim] deserves to die or be whipped because of her religion or her marriage.”
