‘Release Mariam Ibrahim’ -FGBMFI urges Sudanese govt

The Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI), Ghana, has joined the Christian community and human rights activists across the world to appeal for the release of the Sudanese woman who has been sentenced to death for refusing to renounce her Christian faith.

Describing the conviction of Mariam Ibrahim as “a travesty of justice”, the FGBMFI called on the Sudanese government to “stay the execution of the hapless lady and set her free”.

“While recognising and respecting the sovereign right of Sudan to make laws for its citizens, we wish, also, to draw attention to the fact that choosing and/or changing one's religion is not a crime; on the contrary, it is a basic human right guaranteed by Article 2 of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration on Human Rights,” the FGBMFI said in a statement signed by the National President, George Prah.

Article 2 of the UDHR states: “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.”

Background

Mariam, 27, was convicted by a Sudanese court for allegedly refusing to renounce her Christian faith and also marrying a Christian.

In addition to the death sentence, the then eight-month-old pregnant woman, who was a mother of one, was convicted of adultery and sentenced to 100 lashes.

Mariam and her husband, Daniel Wani, a Sudenesse American, were married formally in a church ceremony in 2011.

Sudan’s penal code criminalises the conversion of Muslims to other religions, which is punishable by death.

Muslim women in Sudan are further prohibited from marrying non-Muslims, although Muslim men are permitted to marry outside their faith. Marian has now given birth to a girl in a prison in Sudan. 

Freedom of worship

The statement expressed concern over the fact that Mariam was reported to the Sudanese authorities by her own family members.

“Fact is, the Islamic faith itself, in its wisdom, recognises and, therefore, guarantees to the individual the right to worship according to his or her conscience.

“This freedom to worship as one pleases is guaranteed in Sûrah al-Baqarah, Verse 256 of the Holy Quran thus: ‘Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth has been made clear from error. Whoever rejects false worship and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that never breaks. And Allah hears and knows all things’,” it said.

“The statement said the FGBMFI was aware that no true religion in the world advocated violence and that basically, all religions sought to bring out what is noble in humankind.

“We wish to use this occasion, therefore, to appeal to all men of honour, goodwill and peace; all religious adherents, and especially their leaderships, to instil in the mass of their followers the need for religious co-existence,” it said.

The statement said the God of all true religions required only willing, voluntary service and worship.

“While we may belong to religions that advocate conversion by propagation, and while we are under divine mandate to witness by virtue of our convictions, we do not believe that any one, be it government or an individual person, must assume the power to compel another person to unquestioningly accept their religion.

“No one should be crucified for not believing as the other person does. Let us rise up in prayer for Mariam, reminding ourselves that the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous avails much,” it added.

Solidarity with abducted girls

Meanwhile, the FGBMFI has expressed solidarity with parents of the more than 200 girls abducted from their school in Nigeria by Boko Haram.

“We stand together with the government of Nigeria, the international community and all men and women of goodwill who have joined in the efforts to get the girls released.  

“We pray for divine intervention in this matter, asking that God Almighty and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom we live and move and have our being, will preserve the lives and minds of the innocent girls, be a source of comfort to their traumatised parents and cause a change of heart by elements of Boko Haram,” the statement added.