ICC Note:
Al Samani Al Hadi Mohamed Abdullah, the alleged brother of Meriam Yahia Ibrahim, a 27-year-old mother of two and wife to an American citizen, is claiming Meriam was “kidnapped” after her release from prison. Monday, Meriam was acquitted from charges of adultery and apostasy after a Public Order Court in Khartoum had sentenced her to 100 lashes and death. Following the acquittal, Meriam was released into the care of her husband, Daniel, a Christian, South Sudanese national. Infuriated, Meriam’s self-proclaimed brother objected, arguing she should have been released into the possession of his family. In an interview with CNN earlier this year, stated that if Merim did not “return” to the faith of his family—Islam—she should be put to death. Learn everything you need to know regarding Meriam’s case here.
06/26/2014 Sudan (The Telegraph) – The brother of the Sudanese woman who had her death sentence for apostasy overturned by the courts has claimed that she was “kidnapped” as soon as she set foot out of prison.
Meriam Ibrahim walked free on Monday after six months in prison charged with apostasy – abandoning her Islamic faith. She maintains she was never a Muslim in the first place.
The 27-year-old was about to board a flight out of Sudan with her husband and two children on Tuesday, when she was detained once more. Her husband Daniel Wani is an American citizen, and he said they were planning to travel to Washington DC. Sudanese media claimed that the US vice consul was with the family at the airport.
“We are supposed to be there,” said Mr Wani, insisting there is nothing wrong with the travel documents. He told AFP: “We are worried. That’s why we want to get out of here as soon as possible.”
But now her brother, Al Samani Al Hadi Mohamed Abdullah, has claimed that Ms Ibrahim was “kidnapped” upon her release, and spirited away without her consent.
He told Sudan’s Al Intibaha newspaper—founded by the uncle of President Omar Bashir—that she should have been shepherded to the family, and not her husband, when she left prison.
“They did not let us know that she was about to be freed,” he said. “It was a surprise for us.”
Mr Hadi said previously that she should be executed if she does not “return” to what he maintains is their family faith.
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