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104. Considering these principles, the Complainants submitted that the Respondent State violated the rights of the first, third, and fourth Victims under Article 4 in three ways. Firstly, their detention in various facilities, including the Hilat Koko police station in Khartoum, the Haj Yossif police station in Khartoum, and Omdurman Women's Prison, subjected them to gravely inadequate and inhumane conditions that failed to meet the basic requirements of a dignified life. Secondly, the first Victim's death sentence for apostasy not only violated her freedom of religion but also constituted an excessive penalty that cannot be justified. The fact that she was threatened with immediate execution, despite being days away from giving bi ~ of national and international law. Thirdly, afte Prison, the Respondent State failed to fulfill its -: despite the known threats from Islamist fq.l).~qmenta , ' IDS, These failures left the first, third, and fourth Victims vulner'able and '[breed them to leave : Sudan to secure their safety. -/1 " . Article 5: the Prohibition of Torture an 106. The Complainants cont~l1~ed that Ar 5 of the.,African Charter had been violated due to instances of cruel, inn1itm,an,and .: g trecitiir~~t or punishment. They support their argument with legal ;c{J~ll~ .~ ,~;g the 'fJp~lj. Society Justice Initiative v Cote d'Iooire'« and the' Protocol to tlt" an CharfE;!rop the Rights of Women in Africa (the Maputo Protocol)." The Com .. inants highlight the paramount importance of respecting human dignity and the ~~b!i$ation of st~t~s to criminalize torture and other forms of ill-treatment. 46 Additionally, t, emphasize that Article 5 applies to detainees an"d¥r!~Jress their entitlement to prompt .,dical services and independent medical "r,m;:", exa , ..',.,. ns. The Complainants also.refer to specific cases where the Commission has dee unisliments, such asJa,~hing, to violate Article 5.47 They further mention the C .c;~;ii" ISS1 '.. riticism :o~v~~4afl's"laws, which permit various forms of corporal punishm~n~, co theiriz·'to be cruel, inhuman, and degrading, particularly ~,-:" -'.-' towards margin , . c .~F'4k"? >. .• , ~,. :J?,.:.s. " Communication, No, 249/02 (2005). 45 Protocol to the African Cha' r on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa ("Maputo Protocol"), Entry into force N .5, 2005 46 Citing Committee for the Pre ntion of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, General Comment No, 1 on the Implementation of Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, 51st Ordinary Session (2012); Communication 277/03, Spilg v, Mack and DITSHWANELO (on behalfofLehlohonolo Bernard Kobedi) v, Botswana, 16 December 2011, P163 and Communication 368/09, Abdel Hadi, Ali Radi & Others v . Republic of Sudan, 4 June 2014, P 74, 47 Citing, for example, Communication 334/06, Egtjptian Initiative for Personal Rights and INTERIGHTS vs. Egtjpt,3 March 2011, para 173; and Communication 225/98, Huri - Laws v . Nigeria, 6 November 2000, para 41, See also Communication 368/09, Abdel Hadi, Ali Radi & Others v. Republic of Sudan, 5 November 2013, para-74 4S Citing the ACHPR, "Concluding Observations and Recommendations on the 4th and 5th Perio~c~\ eptWft5'fItAeo~ Republic of Sudan", 4 August 2012, P 40, the ACHPR/Res, lOS, "Resolution on the Preventiof <9(¥effiir'~\lffi'd ~O"'\~ Prohibition of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment", pp 2- alS Re~olu. O; ~ . <t\., 44 t7 o Iii U ,~ u () ..... A ,\ - C . ul \\ ',_, ~, "io 0 0)' o. p,u·\\1\ 0 Oil:' • ~:; '0 ~ j ,(_'V ,tv?/)J ~-~ tv 4'RICi"II- (if ~ \'" ~ \..... 'L.2 ,.\,,'~ 9-.... \ f, '\1' . .J"<' <.', 0'1!rtE El 0\'''· ,~ I,

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Communication 471/14 - Meriam Yahia Ibrahim and three more v. Sudan

ACHPR Decision

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Type of Document

Decision

Keywords

Arbitrary Arrest and Detention
Cruel and Degrading Treatment
Detention Facilities/Conditions
Equality
Equality Before the Law
Freedom from Discrimination
Freedom of Movement
Freedom of Religion
Personal Liberty
Personal security
Pregnant women / mothers (with infant) in conflict with the law
Protection of Family and Vulnerable Groups
Right to be Heard before a Competent Court
Right to Dignity
Right to Fair Trial
Right to Family
Right to Health
Right to Life
Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights
Torture and Ill Treatment
Women in prison
Women's Rights

Case Head Notes: The first victim, whose father was a Sudanese Muslim, and whose mother was an Ethiopian Christian, married a Christian and was consequently arrested for adultery. A charge of apostasy was also added against the first victim because her father was a Muslim, and according to Article 126 of the 1991 Criminal Code, she was prohibited from changing to another religion. The first victim was arrested with her child, and detained in prison. Upon convicting the first victim of apostasy, the Court gave her three days to recant her faith, or face the possible sentence of death. While the Court of Appeal revoked the convictions and sentences, and ordered the first victim's immediate release, in 2014, all victims (the first victim and her family) were arrested when they were about to leave the Respondent State. They were subsequently detained at a detention facility and denied access to lawyers. Following negotiations between Italy and the Respondent State, the victims left Sudan for Italy. The Commission found a violation of Article 2, stating that it is unjust to apply religious laws against individuals who do not follow that particular religion, and also because non-Muslims have the right to be judged by a secular court. They also noted that women and men experience differential treatment with respect to justifying their intermarriages. The Commission found a violation of Article 3 stating that there was no justifiable basis for the first victim's adultery conviction, particularly when her husband was not similarly found guilty for intermarriage. The Commission found a violation of Article 4, on account of the gravely inadequate and inhumane conditions in the detention facility, and additionally because the death sentence, and associated threats against the first victim were traumatic. Noting that it is a violation of Article 4 when individuals are forced to go into hiding, the Commission also stated that the Respondent State failed to protect the victims lives, despite the known threat from extremist groups, which forced the victims to leave Sudan for their safety. The Commission found a violation of Article 5 noting the physical and emotional trauma the victims experienced. Specifically, the ongoing intimidation of the victims, including demanding the first victim to change her religion or face the death penalty, and shackling the first victim for most of her detention contravened Article 5. The Commission found a violation of Article 6 because the Respondent State failed to safeguard the victims' physical well-being against maltreatement by government authorities, and private individuals, and, further, agreed with the Complainants' argument that the first victim was arrested and detained on a discriminatory basis. The Commission found a violation of Article 7 because the victims were denied access to lawyers, faced discrimination based on gender, and also becuase of incorrect assumptions by the Court regarding the Court's own jurisdiction, and the victim's relgious beliefs. The Commission found a violation of Article 8, stating that incorrect assumptions regarding the first victim's faith hindered her ability to profess and practice her religion, and further noting that the criminalization of her supposed change in religion also violated Article 8. The Commission found a violation of Article 12 stating that the continued threats by third parties, which the Respondent State has failed to protect the victims from, prevents the victims from returning to Sudan safely. They note that the Respondent State's failure to protect also forced the Complainants to leave Sudan against their will, in order to protect themselves. The Commission found a violation of Article 16 because the victims were deprived of basic needs, including access to food, basic hygiene, and medical care during their incarceration. They also specifically noted that the absence of antenatal and postnatal care, and neonatal care, violated the right to heatlh. The Commission found a violation of Article 18, generally, because of the interference in the victims' family life and, specifically, because of discrimination in the first victim's right to choose a spouse. On account of the other violations, the Commission found a violation of Article 1. The Commission urged the Respondent State to take all measures to provide effective remedies, including restitution, compensation, policy reforms, public apology, and legal reforms. They also recommended a prompt and impartial investigation into the First Victims's arrest, detention, conviction and sentencing and requested the Respondent State to provide an update on implementation.

Country

Sudan

Outcome: Decided on Merits

Year Decided: Mar 8, 2024

Rights Alleged to be Violated (ACHPR Provisions)

ACHPR 7: Right to Fair Trial
ACHPR 1: General Obligations
ACHPR 16: Right to Health
ACHPR 18: Protection of the Family and Vulnerable Groups
ACHPR 2: Freedom from Discrimination
ACHPR 3: Right to Equality before the Law and Equal Protection of the Law
ACHPR 4: Right to Life and Integrity
ACHPR 5: Cruel Inhuman and Degrading Treatment
ACHPR 6 : Right to Personal Liberty and Protection from Arbitrary Arrest
ACHPR 8: Right to Freedom of Conscience

Rights Violated (ACHPR Provisions)

ACHPR 7: Right to Fair Trial
ACHPR 1: General Obligations
ACHPR 12: Right to Freedom of Movement
ACHPR 16: Right to Health
ACHPR 18: Protection of the Family and Vulnerable Groups
ACHPR 2: Freedom from Discrimination
ACHPR 3: Right to Equality before the Law and Equal Protection of the Law
ACHPR 4: Right to Life and Integrity
ACHPR 5: Cruel Inhuman and Degrading Treatment
ACHPR 6 : Right to Personal Liberty and Protection from Arbitrary Arrest
ACHPR 8: Right to Freedom of Conscience

Duration of Procedure

Jun 2, 2014 ~ Mar 8, 2024

Country Geolocation

Latitude: 12.862807

Longitude: 30.217636

Country Geolocation (linked ACHPR Decision): Sudan

Primary Documents

Meriam Yahia Ibrahim and Three More v Sudan.pdf
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African Human Rights CLA 2.0

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Communication 471/14 - Meriam Yahia Ibrahim and three more v. Sudan

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