Sudanese Woman Spared Death Sentence Post "Apostasy" Charges Arrives in US

A Sudanese woman, who was spared a death sentence after facing "apostasy" charges for renouncing Islam, has arrived in the United States with her family.

The woman, Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag, had fled to Italy after being spared a death sentence for refusing to renounce her Christian faith.  On her brief stopover at Philadelphia, Meriam was first welcomed by Mayor Michael Nutter who described her as a "world freedom fighter", Aljazeera reports.

Nutter also said that people would remember her just like "others who stood up so we could be free," BBC reports.

He went a step ahead and compared Meriam to Rosa Parks - who became a symbol of the civil rights movement in the U.S. when she refused to vacate her seat for a white man on a bus in Alabama.

Also, Nutter presented Meriam with a small replica of the Liberty Bell, which is considered to be a symbol of American independence.

Later, she reached Manchester, New Hampshire, where scores of cheering supporters waited to greet her. Meriam, along with her husband and two children, is ready to make a new home in the U.S. where they have a few relatives.  

Her husband Daniel Wani thanked New Hampshire's Sudanese community on behalf of his family and said that he appreciated the overwhelming support.

"I can't describe the feeling. We are so tired. The ordeal is over," Wani said.

According to Reuters, Meriam just smiled and waved to the crowd of about 40 relatives and supporters, but she did not speak publicly.

En route to Manchester, New Hampshire, the family flew from Rome to Philadelphia, where they hope to settle.

Even though her father was a Muslim, Meriam, 27, was raised by her Christian mother and followed the faith. However, according to the Sudanese version of Islamic law she is a Muslim as well because her father belonged to the faith and she cannot convert. She also married a Christian man.

This led the Sudanese government to charge her with "apostasy" for renouncing her religion and she was given a choice - either to convert to Islam or face a death sentence. She refused to convert and was taken into custody. She had to give birth to her second child while in custody, with her legs chained.

This step by Sudan's government was subjected to global condemnation; and eventually, it was forced to quash its decision. Meriam was freed in June, but initially she was forbidden from leaving the country and the family took refuge at the U.S. embassy in Khartoum.