University News Last updated 03 October 2014
The case of Miriam Ibrahim, the Sudanese woman who was publicly sentenced to death because of her Christian faith earlier this year, was the focus of a public lecture at Birmingham City University this week.
A panel of leading international Human Rights experts discussed issues surrounding the death penalty, women’s rights, freedom of religion and the role of civil society in what was described by audience members as a “truly engaging evening.”
Opening the City Talks, Manjit Singh Gill QC, Head of International Human Rights at No 5 Chambers, said: “At the heart of many of these cases and topics is the principle of human dignity and discrimination.”
The Rt Hon Baroness Anelay of St Johns, Minister of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, spoke of the British Government’s response to Meriam Ibrahim’s case.
“Nobody should be put in the position where they have to leave their country to practice religion” said Baroness Anelay.
“There are many other Meriam’s around the world whose cases don't make the headlines and we will continue to work with the Sudanese government to implement the Human Rights Act.”
Baroness Anelay went on to express her shock to the death sentence and described it as “undermining human dignity” and praised the legal team, which included panellist Elshareef Ali Mohammed, on their courage in taking up the Meriam Ibrahim case.
Lutz Oette, Lawyer and Lecturer at the School of Oriental and African Studies at University of London, warned that funding was a major issue in the Sudanese legal department in relation to access to justice for women and children. He said that the discriminative legal system in Sudan has disproportionate impact on women, whereby their evidence doesn't count as much as male counterparts.
Despite this Lutz went on to say that he didn’t want to see Meriam and other women in Sudan as victims; describing them as at the forefront of change and as being more vocal than men when fighting for their human rights.
Speaking on how he separated his religious beliefs from his human rights beliefs; Elshareef Ali Mohammed said that to defend the Meriam Ibrahim case was to defend the “right of the Sudanese people themselves.”
On the sensitivities of dealing with Sharia Law; Andrew Hall QC, Doughty Street Chambers and Member of the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales, said that he wouldn’t walk away from a case just because it's in Sudan.
Questions were raised from the panel and audience over whether the court that heard Meriam Ibrahim’s appeal were influenced by the social media campaign supporting her case.
Emily Clarke, Change.org Petitioner for Meriam Ibrahim, said that the campaign to save Meriam was shunned by traditional media and later caught the attention of journalists at the height of the #SaveMeriam social media movement. Emily said: “Social media can be used to shine a light on cases that aren't yet, but should be, in the news.”
Andrew Hall QC praised the use of alternative media in such cases saying: “Social media is a means of support in human rights; Elshareef is just a click away from any of any of us panellists for advice and guidance."
The evening was bought to a close with a presentation to Birmingham City University alumnus Elshareef Ali Mohammed, who received an Executive Dean award for his contribution to human rights in Sudan.