USCIRF Vice Chair Dr. Zuhdi Jasser testified on July 23 before the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations of the House Foreign Affairs Committee at a hearing entitled “The Troubling Case of Meriam Ibrahim.”

From the testimony:

“Meriam’s conviction, sentencing, detention and re-detention, and inability to leave Sudan all are travesties of religious freedom and human rights in Sudan. The laws which she was accused of breaking violated Sudan’s own constitutional and international commitments to religious freedom and human rights.  USCIRF calls on the Sudanese government to immediately allow Meriam and her family to leave Sudan and all charges against her be dropped.” 

Click here to view the full written testimony.

**Please note that shortly after the hearing, it was announced that Meriam Ibrahim and her family arrived safely in Italy.  As USCIRF previously stated, “Meriam’s conviction, sentencing, detention and arrest are a travesty for religious freedom and human rights in Sudan.  The laws which she was accused of breaking violate Sudan’s own constitutional and international commitments to religious freedom and human rights.”

For more information on religious freedom condition in Sudan see USCIRF’s 2014 Annual Report.

To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or 202-786-0613.