Sudan’s foreign ministry on Sunday repudiated a pladge the government would order the release of Meriam Ibrahim, the mother sentenced to death for apostasy, warning only the country’s courts could order her freedom.
Western nations including Britain have expressed outrage that Ms Ibrahim, who gave birth to her daughter Maya in prison last week, had been convicted of changing her faith from Islam to Christianity.
Sudanese officials suggested late on Saturday that the 27-year-old was to be released and her death sentence annulled.
But Abu Bakr al-Sideeg, spokesman for the foreign ministry in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, said on Sunday that only the courts had such powers and foreign ministry officials would have no power over Ms Ibrahim’s case.
“[I am] not aware that any release is imminent”, he added. » | Mike Pflanz, Nairobi | Sunday, June 01, 2014
