Christian Mother's Death Sentence Condemned, by Tom Strode, Baptist Press
"The U.S. Senate has unanimously condemned the death sentence of a Sudanese Christian woman and called for the immediate release from prison of her children and her.
"Senators voted by unanimous consent June 3 for a resolution in support of Meriam Yahia Ibrahim, who was convicted under Sharia law for "apostasy" (leaving Islam) by refusing to renounce her Christian faith. A Khartoum court sentenced her to death by hanging. She also received a sentence of 100 lashes for adultery on the basis of her marriage to a Christian, Daniel Wani, a South Sudanese-born citizen of the United States.
The Senate resolution gained approval a week after Ibrahim gave birth to the couple's second child, a daughter, Maya, in the Omdurman Federal Prison for Women. Martin, their 20-month-old son, also is imprisoned with his mother.
"Russell D. Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, applauded the Senate action and called Ibrahim "a living picture of Jesus keeping his promise, made to us at Caesarea Philippi.
"Jesus said that He would build His church, and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it," Moore said in a statement for Baptist Press. "As we thank God for the Gospel to which she clings, let's continue to pray that these actions by our officials will be the catalyst for [her] release..."
"...The Senate's resolution...not only condemned the sentencing and called for Ibrahim's release but urged the U.S. government to refuse to normalize relations with or lift sanctions against Sudan until the Eastern African country abides by "international standards of freedom of religion or belief." The measure also called for Khartoum to work to ensure its new constitution incorporates religious liberty protections..."
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