Meriam Yehya Ibrahim Ishag (pictured left) has reportedly been flown out of Sudan to Italy, according to published reports. In fact, Italian Minister Lapo Pistelli, who accompanied Ishag on the Italian government plane, reportedly posted the above picture on Facebook as they were landing in Rome with the words, “Mission Accomplished.”
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Once Ishag landed with her family at the airport, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi reportedly said, “Today is a day of celebration.” Thereafter, she was taken to the Vatican in order to meet with the Pope.
Vatican spokesman Father Francis Lombardi reportedly said of the nearly 30-minute meeting, “The Pope thanked her for her witness to faith.” And added, that the meeting displayed the “closeness and solidarity for all those who suffer for their faith.”
The news of Ishag’s arrival in Italy was unexpected as their involvement in Ishag’s release was previously unknown.
According to a senior Sudanese official, in order to travel, Ishag was given a Sudanese passport at the last minute. The official also claims that Ishag had been approved to go on the trip in advance.
Of her release, Ishag’s lawyer Mohamed Mostafa Nour said, “She is unhappy to leave Sudan. She loves Sudan very much. It’s the country she was born and grew up in.”
Yet, her escape had to be a relief as her family reportedly filed a lawsuit just last week to annul her marriage to non-Muslim and husband Daniel Wani (pictured below at the airport).
Before flying to Italy, Ishag and her family were staying at the U.S. Embassy for more than a month, after authorities claimed she had fake documents when she attempted to board a plane to the United States.
The Sudanese government was pressured to release Ishag, after her story of being on death row for supposedly abandoning Islam became international. Just before her release, though, authorities forced her to give birth while chained to the floor and was not permitted to open her legs.
Ishag recently told the media that she feared that her baby daughter may not be able to eventually walk.
But now that Ishag has gained her freedom, perhaps both her and her family can finally get the care that they need.
RELATED: UPDATE: Sudan Re-Releases Mother Who Was on Death Row
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