MEDIA ADVISORY | The Institute on Religion and Democracy
June 11, 2014
Contact: Jeff Walton Office: 202-682-4131, Cell: 202-413-5639, E-Mail: jwalton@TheIRD.org
Washington, DC—Over 40 organizations are joining together in protest of a death sentence ruling handed down by the Government of Sudan to a Sudanese Christian woman accused of adultery and apostasy from Islam. The coalition is also motivated by Sudan human rights and religious freedom violations that they charge are unaddressed by the U.S. Administration and State Department.
Meriam Yahya Ibrahim, 27, the wife of South Sudanese Christian, Daniel Wani, a U.S. citizen from Manchester, New Hampshire, is shackled to a wall in a Sudanese prison, along with her 20 month-old son, Martin, and newborn daughter, Maya, who was born in the prison.
Although Ibrahim has always identified as a Christian, she was sentenced to hang for the crime of apostasy (leaving Islam) because her father who abandoned the family was Muslim. Ibrahim is also sentenced to receive 100 lashes for the crime of adultery because a Muslim woman cannot marry a Christian man in Sudan.
What: Demonstration for Meriam and Sudan Human Rights
Who: Institute on Religion & Democracy and over three dozen other allied organizations
Where:White House Sidewalk between East and West Executive Avenues and the Embassy of Sudan, 2210 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
When: White House: Thursday, June 12, 10 a.m. – Noon, Embassy: Friday, June 13, 10 a.m. – Noon
IRD Religious Liberty Program Director Faith J. H. McDonnell commented:
“We are protesting Sudan’s egregious human rights violations against Meriamand against so many other men, women, and children in Sudan.
“We are also protesting the Obama Administration’s inadequate response and downright neglect to the plight of a United States citizen’s family.
“We demonstrate to show our solidarity with Meriam, Daniel and their children. It is unthinkable that the Sudanese government allows a toddler to be shackled in prison with his mother; a pregnant woman to give birth in prison; a father to be separated from his family; and a woman to be flogged and executed for her faith.
“This is happening to the wife and children of an American citizen who tried repeatedly to get help from U.S. consular services in Khartoum. The United States needs to ensure the release of Meriam and her children, and enable them to come to the United States with Daniel.
“I am thrilled that such a wonderful, eclectic collection of organizations are sponsoring these demonstrations, displaying the breadth of concern for Meriam and her family.
“We call upon the U.S. government to support U.S. citizen Daniel Wani and his family, and to support those brave Sudanese working for a free and democratic Sudan.”
Sponsoring Organizations, alphabetically:
Act for Sudan
American Anti-Slavery Group
Beja Organization for Human Rights and Democracy
Blue Nile Association for Peace and Development
Center for Security Policy
Christian Solidarity International, USA
Church of the Apostles, Anglican Sudan Ministry
Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA)
Coptic Solidarity
Darfur and Beyond, Phoenix, AZ
Darfur Interfaith Network
Darfur Women Action Group
Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET)
Family Research Council
Humanity is Us, New York, NY
Institute on Religion and Democracy
International Christian Concern
Jewish World Watch, CA
Joining Our Voices, LA
Jubilee Campaign USA
Middle East Freedom Forum
Mideast American Coalition for Democracy
Mute No More, FL
Never Again Coalition, Portland, OR
Nuba Mountains Advocacy Group, OH
Nubia Project
Open Doors
People4Sudan
Phyllis Chesler Organization
Sudan Advocacy Action Forum
Sudanese Marginalized Forum in North America
Traditional Values Coalition
Trinity Sudan Ministry, SC
Vigilance, Inc.
Voice of the Copts
Voices for Sudan
World Council for the Cedars Revolution
World Maronite Organization
Comment by trueWorldview on June 11, 2014 at 7:08 pm
Unite with one voice for Meriam’s freedom!
Comment by Robert Veklotz on June 12, 2014 at 2:51 am
Where is our State Department? Where is the President? Where is the Congress? This is an outrage that a US citizen is abandoned by her country and left in the hands of barbarians! I’ll bet there are Seals that would love to perform a rescue mission, but have not been authorized by the so-called commander-in-chief.
Comment by Deborah Parker on June 13, 2014 at 5:34 pm
FYI – – -She is not a US Citizen – yet….Her husband is the US Citizen. Her 2 children are US Citizens. Ted Cruz, the Senator from Tex. is working to try to ‘push through’ Citizenship for her right away to help in this grave matter.