In better news, Meriam Ibrahim is again out of prison, and this time she’s safe at the US embassy. Since the US is where she wants to go, and her husband is a US citizen, that’s the best place for her inside Sudan.
On Monday the appeal court annulled her death sentence and freed her, after which she went into hiding because of death threats.
Wani, a US citizen since 2005, said he hoped the family could start a new life in America. But 24 hours later security service agents apprehended the family, including a baby girl born while Ibrahim was shackled to the floor of her cell, claiming that her travel documents were forged. Ibrahim’s lawyer, Elshareef Mohammed, said more than 40 security officers stopped them boarding a plane to Washington.
The US state department said its envoy then met Sudanese foreign ministry officials at their request and told them the family needed to be able “to depart as swiftly as possible from Sudan and that we are happy to help in any way we can”.
Next steps? The trip to the airport; boarding the plane; takeoff; goodbye Sudan.
Technically speaking, any embassy is considered the territory of that country. So they are indeed already “in” the US. Safe passage from the Embassy to the airport is the only remaining concern. Not a trivial one, apparently.
This is fantastic news! Thank you much for posting it. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Kevin, I know, but…legally they’re in the US, but physically they’re in Sudan, so…I’ll be more confident once they’re off that plane in the US (or Paris or London if there’s a stopover).
Me too. I do think, though, that because they’re in the Embassy that their chances are much improved than they were before.
Anywhere out of Sudanese air space will be fine with me. As quickly and as safely as possible.
Can’t wait to hear Faux News turn it into a complaint about Obama because BENGHAZI!