FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 23, 2014
MEDIA CONTACT:
Alison Howard
202-266-4816
ahoward@cwfa.org
PRESS RELEASE
CWA Applauds the Release of Sudanese Mom Sentenced to Die for Christian Faith
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Concerned Women for America (CWA), the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization, applauds reports that Meriam Ibrahim, the 27-year-old Sudanese woman who was sentenced to death for allegedly converting from Islam to Christianity, has been released from prison. Penny Nance, CWA CEO and President, hailed the action as an encouraging step forward in the effort to protect women from religious persecution:
“We are so grateful for today’s decision. If Meriam Ibrahim’s verdict had not been overturned, she would have faced a punishment of 100 lashes and execution by hanging simply because she converted to Christianity.
“Accounts from Meriam’s Christian American husband Daniel Wani, describing how Meriam was forced to give birth in prison with her legs chained, after she refused to renounce her Christian faith during a four day ‘grace period’ when she was eight months pregnant, sparked outrage around the world.
“This was a concerted effort of a coalition of groups. Concerned Women for America joined others to rally at the White House and demand that they and the State Department act on her behalf, adding to the pressure were hundreds of thousands of petitions that poured in calling for her release. Today we rejoice over the release of Meriam in Sudan, but there are thousands of women languishing for their religious beliefs all over the world – in Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq. Women of faith are persecuted at the hands of ISIS, and those reports will shock the world.
“We now pray and work towards Meriam and her two American children being granted legal status in the United States. We are an exceptional nation and must continue to protect religious freedom here and abroad.”
If you would like an interview with Penny Nance, please contact Alison Howard
at ahoward@cwfa.org or 202-266-4816.
Concerned Women for America is the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization with 500,000 participating members across the country, over 450 Prayer/Action Chapters and Home Teams, 600 trained leaders and over 30 years of service to our nation.
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