A Sudanese woman who was spared a death sentence for converting from Islam to Christianity and then barred from leaving Sudan flew into Rome on Thursday in an Italian government plane. Mariam Yahya Ibrahim, whose sentence and detention triggered international outrage, walked off the aircraft cradling her baby and was greeted by Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi.
There were no details on what led up to the 27-year-old’s departure after a month in limbo in Khartoum, but a senior Sudanese official said it had been cleared by the government.
“The authorities did not prevent her departure that was known and approved in advance,” the senior official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Ibrahim was accompanied on the plane by Italy’s vice minister for foreign affairs, Lapo Pistelli. He told journalists at Rome’s Ciampino airport Italy had been in “constant dialogue” with Sudan but did not give any more details on Rome’s role in securing her exit.
He published a photograph on his Facebook page of himself with Ibrahim and her two children on the plane with the caption: “A couple of minutes away from Rome. Mission accomplished.”
Ibrahim was sentenced to death in May on charges of converting from Islam to Christianity and marrying a Christian South Sudanese-American.
Comments are closed.