Meriam Ibrahim, a Christian Sudanese woman spared a death
sentence for apostasy after an international outcry, has met Pope
Francis after arriving in Italy.
The 27-year-old and her family were received at the pontiff's
guesthouse for just under 30 minutes in an atmosphere "of
serenity and tenderness", the Vatican spokesman Federico
Lombardi said in a statement.
"The pope thanked Meriam and her family for their courageous
demonstration of constancy of faith. Meriam gave thanks for the
great support and comfort which she received from the prayers of
the pope and of many other people who believe and are of good
will."
Francis, 77, also wanted the meeting to have a symbolic aspect,
Lombardi said. "With this gesture the pope wished also to show
his closeness, attention and prayer for all those who suffer
because of their faith and in particular Christians who suffer
persecution or restriction to their freedom of religion."
Earlier on Thursday, Italian television showed Ibrahim leaving
the aircraft at Ciampino airport in Rome accompanied by her
husband, two children and Italy's vice-minister for foreign affairs,
Lapo Pistelli.
Ibrahim was sentenced to 100 lashes for adultery and to death for
apostasy in May, sparking an international campaign to lift the
death sentence. More than a million people backed an Amnesty
International campaign to get her released, with David Cameron,
the British prime minister, and the US civil rights activist Jesse
Jackson among world leaders who clamoured for her release.
While on death row, Ibrahim, a graduate of Sudan University's
school of medicine, gave birth in shackles in May. It was a
difficult birth as her legs were in chains and Ibrahim is worried
that the girl may need support to walk.
Ibrahim was told that her death sentence would be deferred for
two years to allow her to nurse the baby.
Under the Sudanese penal code, Muslims are forbidden from
changing faith, and Muslim women are not permitted to marry
Christian men.
During her trial in Khartoum, she told the court that she had been
brought up as a Christian, and refused to renounce her faith. She
and Daniel Wani – an American citizen – married in 2011. The
court ruled that the union was invalid and that Ibrahim was
guilty of adultery.
Her convictions, sentences and detention in Omdurman women's
prison while heavily pregnant and with her toddler son
incarcerated alongside her caused international outrage. After an
appeal court overturned the death sentence, Ibrahim, Wani, and
their two children tried to leave last month, but were turned back.
The Sudanese government accused her of trying to leave the
country with false papers, preventing her departure for the US.
Her lawyer, Mohaned Mostafa, said he had not been told of her
departure on Thursday.
"I don't know anything about such news but so far the complaint
that was filed against Meriam and which prevents her from
travelling from Sudan has not been cancelled," Mostafa told
Reuters.
Ibrahim and her family had been staying at the US embassy in
Khartoum.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/24/sudan-woman-meriam-ibrahim-spared-death-apostasy-meets-pope-francis

Later, someone who answers shehu or muhammed will shamelessly tell us that islam is a religion of peace.
That reminds me of Geroge Orwell's book, 1984 where the ministry of peace are inchearge of wars and ministry of love will torture you to a point you'll own up to a crime you didn't even commit.
Sarcasm at its peak!!


And stupid religion that needs to be abolished asap!