The Rt Hon Hugh Robertson

Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

King Charles Street

London SW1A 2AH

Ref: ML.C0041.CM.19.05.14

Date: 19^th March 2014

Dear Hugh,

I am sure you are aware of the case of a Sudanese woman, Meriam Yehya Ibrahim, aged 27, who last week was sentenced to death for refusing to renounce her Christianity. I understand the court also convicted her of adultery and sentenced her to 100 lashes because Meriam’s marriage to a Christian man is considered void under Sharia law.

Meriam Yehya Ibrahim is eight months pregnant and currently in detention with her 20-month-old son. Amnesty International considers her to be a prisoner of conscience, convicted because of her religious beliefs and identity. The sentences she has received are in breach of the fundamental right to life, and in violation of the absolute prohibition against torture and other ill-treatment in international human rights law.

 Please will you join me and Amnesty International supporters in my constituency by urgently calling on the Sudanese authorities to:

• ensure that Meriam Yehya Ibrahim is released immediately and unconditionally;
• repeal Articles 126 and 146 of the Sudan Criminal Code and that criminalise apostasy and adultery respectively, in  conformity with Sudan’s obligations under international human rights law;
• establish a moratorium on executions, as a first step towards abolishing the death penalty, and to abolish the punishment of flogging.

Whilst the Sudanese authorities have said that Meriam is able to appeal her sentence in a higher court, I am urging you to condemn her treatment publicly and in the very strongest terms, in order to help create international pressure for the case against her to be dismissed immediately.

I look forward to your response, which I will pass on to my constituents.

Yours sincerely,

Caroline Lucas

MP for Brighton Pavilion