The day after Saint Yves feast, saint patron of all those who defend Justice, we cannot accept such situations. Let’s us offer prayer, fast and sacrifices, and let’s us send letters of protestation to Sudan Embassy in our countries. Unhappily, we know this kind of crimes happen also in other countries such as Pakistan.

 “I am a Christian, I have not apostatized.” Thus Sudanese Doctor Maryam Yahya Ibrahim, declared to the court, after a Muslim religious tried for 30 minutes to convince her to “return to Islam” or retract her apostasy. On May 15, 2014 Maryam, who is a 27-year-old mother of an almost two-year old boy and eight months pregnant, was sentenced to death for apostasy and to 100 lashes for adultery. Initially, in August of 2013, Maryam was arrested, accused of adultery because she is married to a Christian.

Maryam was born of a Muslim father and an Ethiopian Orthodox mother. For Islam, the marriage of her parents is correct because, in Islamic law, a Muslim man is allowed to marry a woman belonging to the People of the Book, namely, a Christian or Jewish woman. However, Islamic law does not provide for the opposite case, so Maryam was accused of adultery because she married “illegally” a Christian who, as provided in the Shariah, did not embrace Islam before marrying.

Many Sudanese activists protested outside the courtroom, holding posters with the following writings: “No to the prosecution of religions,” “No constriction in religion,” “Respect the freedom of religions.” The embassies of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Holland issued a joint communique asking for respect of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Amnesty International mobilized immediately.