I hope the saga of Mariam Yahya Ibrahim—the Sudanese doctor who, while pregnant, was sentenced for death for apostasy (she married a Christian, but was also raised a Christian, though her father was Muslim)—ends soon. Yesterday, after having been freed, she was arrested at the airport (see my post here).
Well, today, according to the Independent, she’s been freed again:
Eman Abdul-Rahim, her lawyer, said Ms Ibrahim was held with her two children and husband at Khartoum airport. The BBC said Ms Ibrahim, whose death sentence in May for renouncing Islam sparked outrage, was detained by about 40 security agents. Last night, it was reported that she had been freed.
Marie Harf, a spokeswoman for the US State Department, said the Sudanese government had informed American officials that Ms Ibrahim and her family were “temporarily detained” over issues relating to their travel documents.
The family was held 24 hours after Ms Ibrahim’s husband, Daniel Wani, who has US citizenship, said they would go to America following his wife’s release.
I guess the U.S. will take her in, and that’s the right thing to do (her husband, after all, has dual U.S./Sudanese citizenship). Say what you will about the U.S., we have a First Amendment that, though abused by people like the miscreants of Lebanon, Missouri, prevent people from being persecuted by the government for their religion.
I hope things go more smoothly for this family. At least their children should have a brighter future in the US.
It disheartening when these same miscreants like those in Lebanon, Missouri think atheists can be persecuted since atheism isn’t a religion that is protected. Honestly, it is pretty bad when laws are the only thing that stops persecution.
sub
Let’s see if they can actually leave that hell hole.
we also have a bill of rights that protects the minority from the majority, having the ideal that all people deserve equal rights, not just one tribe, one religion, etc.
We may have to wait until memoirs are published to figure out what went on behind the scenes on Ibrahim’s case, but the result is outstanding.
While much criticism has been aired about the lack of vocal advocacy by the State Dept and US officials, my guess is that this silence has been by design. Results matter.
Any visible pleading by the US President or Sec’y of State would likely have made releasing Ibrahim politically untenable for the local Sudanese knuckleheads.
I’m sure you’re absolutely right about the “silence by design” from the State Dept.
Agree.
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Here’s another case:
“Nigeria atheist Bala ‘deemed mentally ill in Kano state’: A Nigerian man has been sent to a mental institute in Kano state after he declared that he did not believe in God, according to a humanist charity.”
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-28010234
Kano is in Nigeria’s north, smack in Boko Haram country
“travel documents”
Riiiight.
🗽
If the Dr.’s husband wasn’t Christian, but a US Muslim instead, or Hindu or Buddhist or (gasp!) a New Atheist (sic, because I despise that term), I think it is fair to speculate about just how concerned our GOP would be with Ms. Ibrahim’s freedom. They might surprise me, of course, so it would be unjust and imprudent as well to claim they would be silent. Hell, SCOTUS just might rule against Hobby Lobby.
I predict the usual 5-4 decision on Hobby Lobby.
It’s always amusing for me to remember how atheists are vilified as people wishing to take away religious freedom when in actuality, it is the atheists who guarantee it for everyone. I have some believer friends who recognize this (though they are Jews and I strongly suspect atheists who won’t admit it).
Now that she’s free, I’ll go ahead and express hope that she’ll join Ayaan Hirsi Ali as a strong voice for rationality. She’s a doctor, so there’s good reason to think she’s more articulate than average, and she’s now in the perfect position to, if she wishes, leverage her notoriety into fame, and amplify her voice as few others can.
…and, if anybody reading these words is in a position to give her a leg up and / or a steadying hand in the spotlight, consider yourself urged to do so….
Cheers,
b&
“Better take about 40 agents with you; you know how very dangerous these apostates can be!”