The AMA welcomes reports that Sudanese doctor, Dr Meriam Ibrahim, has had her death penalty sentence overturned by an appeals court in Sudan and she has been freed from prison.
AMA President, A/Prof Brian Owler, said today that Dr Ibrahim was a prisoner of conscience and the appeals court had done the right thing by releasing her.
“Dr Ibrahim’s incarceration was a violation of international human rights,” A/Prof Owler said.
“The AMA, along with other medical associations around the world, supports international medical colleagues who suffer injustice or who are impeded from providing care in areas of war or conflict,” A/Prof Owler said.
A/Prof Owler recently wrote to Prime Minister Abbott urging the Government to join the AMA, the World Medical Association, the British Medical Association, and other international organisations and governments in demanding that Dr Ibrahim’s sentence be overturned.
He also wrote directly to the President of the Republic of Sudan, His Excellency Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, raising the AMA’s concerns.
Dr Ibrahim has been incarcerated since August 2013 for the ‘crimes’ of adultery, for having married a Christian man, and apostasy for asserting she is a Christian, not a Muslim, and for refusing to recant her faith. She was sentenced to 100 lashes for adultery, and death for apostasy.
Dr Ibrahim gave birth to her daughter while in jail. Her 20 month son was also with her.