Meriam Ibrahim's Brother Tells CNN She Should Be Executed if She Won't Denounce Christianity

Brother of Meriam Ibrahim, the Sudanese Christian woman who was sentenced to death for apostasy, in a new interview with CNN says his sister should be executed for leaving Islam. Al Samani Al Hadi Mohamed Abdullah had handed his sister to the authorities because, according to him, his family are “Muslim people.”

He claimed that Ms Ibrahim, 27, was born as Abrar Al Hadi but changed her name when she was drugged by her husband, Daniel Wani. And if she did not return to the devout family fold, she should be hanged.

“It’s one of two; if she repents and returns to our Islamic faith and to the embrace of our family, then we are her family and she is ours. But if she refuses she should be executed. Her now-husband Daniel – this 'priest’ – he gave her magic potions drink. Or something that allowed him to convert her.”

Ms Ibrahim, a mother of two, has been in prison in Khartoum since January on charges of apostasy – or abandoning her faith. During her trial earlier this month she told the court that she was never a Muslim, as her Muslim father left the family when she was six – and she was subsequently raised as a Christian.

But Mr Al Hadi said that his sister had cut off all ties with the family and disappeared – until, Mr Al Hadi said, “we discovered it was because they were hiding her in their house.”

He continued:

“When she was caught, our sister’s face was different, the way she looked at us was different. She was bewitched, like an unconscious person. She didn’t know any of us. When she stood in front of the court she said her name was Meriam Yahya Ibrahim. We were shocked by that name.”

And he said that the family would “not deny Islamic law” – even if that meant the execution of his sister.

“This is what the law states and we will never allow any distortion of that. If she dies we will have enforced God’s word. The solution is that she is executed. As we have been ordered by our Prophet, peace be upon him: 'He who barters his religion you must kill.’ The world should not involve itself in our family affairs. This is a family and these are our private affairs. We don’t want outside involvement.”

Meriam's sentencing has caused outrage around the world which were heightened after reports that her release was imminent were dismissed by the government in Sudan. Ms Ibrahim's lawyers have appealed against the sentence, and are currently awaiting a verdict. They have also taken the case to the African Commission on Human Rights.

Just last week she delivered her baby, Maya, and her husband told journalists that his wife has sworn that she will not renounce her Christian beliefs.