On the recordJune 25, 2014
I wish to talk today about a couple of issues. This first issue I will address concerns the first freedom and the First Amendment in this country, a matter which people in other parts of the world are seeing in jeopardy, and that is freedom of religion. I read an article from the BBC about the current status of Meriam Ibrahim. Just 2 days ago she was acquitted of her death sentence in Sudan, and many people in this building and around the world applauded her release. She was sentenced to death because she would not disavow her Christian faith. In fact, for months she had been held in prison. She gave birth to a child while she was in prison, and she had a young child with her while she was in prison. The birth of the baby, and then the early months of the baby's life, was the determining factor as to when she would be first beaten and then hanged because she would not disavow her faith. Two days ago, she and her two children were set free. She is the wife of a naturalized U.S. citizen. She had been imprisoned by this government, and unfairly so. Many of my colleagues have been working to secure her release. Last month Senator Ayotte and I sent a letter to Secretary Kerry urging him to offer and provide political asylum for her immediately. We should not have to provide asylum for her family. Her husband is a U.S. citizen, and because of that both her children are U.S. citizens. Because of her faith, she had been sentenced to death.…
