LONDON – The British government has summoned a senior Sudanese diplomat to express its anger at the death sentence handed to a Christian woman who refused to renounce her faith.
Meriam Ibrahim, whose father was Muslim but whose mother was an Orthodox Christian from Ethiopia, was convicted of apostasy on May 15 for marrying a Christian, and given four days to repent and escape death. She was sentenced after that period expired.
Human rights groups and Western governments have condemned the sentencing of the 26-year-old, who is eight months pregnant.
Britain’s Foreign Office said Monday it had summoned Sudan’s charge d’affaires, Bukhari Afandi, and urged him to try to overturn the sentence.
Sudan’s penal code criminalizes the conversion of Muslims to other religions, which is punishable by death.
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