Sudan woman faces death for apostasy

[muriel_volestrangler]

A Sudanese court has sentenced a woman to hang for apostasy after she left Islam and married a Christian man.

"We gave you three days to recant but you insist on not returning to Islam. I sentence you to be hanged to death," the judge told the woman, AFP reports.
...
Local media report the sentence would not be carried out for two years after she has given birth.
...
The judge also sentenced her to 100 lashes after convicting her of adultery - because her marriage to a Christian man was not valid under Islamic law.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-27424064

She regarded herself as a Christian anyway - growing up, her mother was Christian, and her absent father Muslim. Not that that should matter, anyway - this is just religious murder, by the judge. At least there's time for sane countries to pressure Sudan into reversing the decision. In an ideal world, they'd get rid of the barbaric laws that produced this decision.

[shenmue]

1. Mercy

[skepticscott]

2. Religion had nothing to do with this

I'm sure a Google search will reveal that this was purely political. Religion cannot be the cause of such a thing.

[JNelson6563]

4. Amen, brother.

Another victim meeting a horrible end at the hands of religion. Makes me nauseous.

Julie

[skepticscott]

11. Glad you didn't need

the sarcasm thingie!

[rug]

6. Is there something about "state religion" that you fail to grasp?

[Promethean]

9. Is there something about sarcasm and satire that you fail to grasp?

I bet Third-way Manny drives you crazy.

[rug]

16. Not a thing. In fact, I can distinguish it from sullen, flat paraphrase.

But since you've brought up the topic of Manny, is there something about non sequitur that you fail to grasp?

[hrmjustin]

3. That poor woman!

[AtheistCrusader]

5. If you have a state religion; run.

Even if they aren't actively trying to kill you at that particular moment, run. Run for your life.

The 2.x+ million catholics in south sudan are living there at their own peril.

[Warren Stupidity]

15. technically the UK has a state religion

but they stopped lopping heads over it a few hundred years ago. Still, the despicable Mr. Blair had to hide his RC faith until after he left office.

[AtheistCrusader]

17. I would say more than 'technically', but people who live there insist otherwise.

Perhaps it's because the monarchy still has a lot of religious trappings and whatnot, even though it also lacks political power.

[pinto]

7. Aghh. I agree with Amnesty International's statement.

Amnesty International condemned the sentence, handed down by a judge in Khartoum, as "appalling and abhorrent".

[edhopper]

10. Horrible stories like this

confirm my atheism.
I don't know how the God most believe in would allow this to happen.
An innocent woman and an innocent baby are about to be killed in his name, and he will let it happen, as he does every day.
Not a God I can believe in.

And the answer "how can we let it happen" is nonsense. What should we do? Invade Sudan and kill thousands of more innocent people to stop it? And can we do that and take Khartoum before this happens? No.

[trotsky]

12. But... but... free will!

(Just don't ask about the free will of the victim - apparently god CAN allow her free will to be violated.)

[edhopper]

13. That was the other answer

I often hear. And my thinking is the same as yours.

[okasha]

18. The baby is not going to die.

The sentence was postponed until the child is two years old.

That should give plenty of time to bring pressure on Sudan to withdraw the sentence or (better solution) get the whole family the hell out of Sudan.

[edhopper]

19. Let's hope so

this is such a horror.

[okasha]

20. Read the story

at the link. It has the details.

[trotsky]

21. Well, as long as s/he doesn't marry a Christian, I suppose. n/t

[Dorian Gray]

14. The Sudan is such a mess

This "judgment" is a travesty. Hopefully other nations will pressure the Sudan to change this.

[struggle4progress]

22. "Amnesty International believes that Meriam is a prisoner of conscience, convicted solely because of

Amnesty International believes that Meriam is a prisoner of conscience, convicted solely because of her religious beliefs and identity, and must be released immediately and unconditionally. The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, which includes the freedom to hold beliefs, is far-reaching and profound; it encompasses freedom of thought on all matters, personal conviction and the commitment to religion or belief."
http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/sudan-abhorrent-death-sentence-woman-grounds-her-religion-2014-05-15-1

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 27 JUNE 2014 (pdf)

[The Green Manalishi]

23. Self Delete

self delete

[hrmjustin]

24. Why?

[The Green Manalishi]

25. Wrong thread

I thought it (the original post) was something related to international affairs. My post was anti religion (in the gravest and most intentionally blasphemous extreme), something I'd relish throwing as a firebomb and starting point of debate in another forum but impolite here.

Blessings and regards.

[pinto]

26. Firebombs are a starting point of debate?

[LostOne4Ever]

27. These countries need to be condemned

Religion and government should not even be allowed in the same room with each other.

But on the bright side they don't have to deal with secular intolerance.

[struggle4progress]

28. Sudan man to appeal wife's apostasy ruling

Concern voiced for health of Mariam Ishag, sentenced to death by court for marrying Christian man.
Last updated: 18 May 2014 13:12

... "I was considered innocent and the marriage revoked - the revoking of this marriage means that my son is no longer my son and the one coming is not my son too, will not be my son - so this innocence means nothing and I will appeal for myself and I will appeal for my wife," the Reuters news agency reported.

Wani said he feared for the health of his wife and their unborn son while she is kept in a prison cell ...

"Considering I am an American citizen, I am disappointed with the American Embassy's position from the beginning of the whole case," he said.

"At the start of the issue, I reported it to them but they didn't take much interest, particularly the consulate. They said they didn't have time. In fact last time, they said they didn't care much about the case. They came late - they intervened when they saw the issue was getting press attention - but the intervention was late" ...

http://www.aljazeera.com/humanrights/2014/05/sudan-man-appeal-wife-apostasy-ruling-201451813612108120.html