LA Times: (Pregnant) Sudan woman sentenced to death after refusing to renounce Christianity -

[muriel_volestrangler]

52. It comes from the country's law, though

This is not just one judge making up law as he goes. From a link in the article:

Meriam’s troubles began in 2013 after she was arrested by Sudanese authorities when an unknown family member allegedly claimed that Meriam was committing adultery (zina, non-mushan) in violation of Article 146 of the 1991 Criminal Act. Sudanese officials viewed Meriam as a Muslim cohabitating with her Christian husband, despite Meriam’s insistence that she was in fact a practising Christian married to a man of the same faith. As such, the relationship between Meriam and her husband was judged to be adulterous and in violation of Article 146 in that marriage between Muslim women and Christian men are not recognized in Sudan. Meriam faces public lashing if convicted of this baseless charge.

In February 2014, an additional charge of apostasy, based on Article 126 of the 1991 Criminal Act, was brought against Meriam. Defined in Article 126 as ‘renunciation of the creed of Islam or public declaration of renunciation,’ Sudanese officials incorrectly claimed that the Muslim [sic] Meriam had, by marrying a Christian man, renounced Islam publicly and was therefore guilty of apostasy in addition to the initial charge of adultery. Under the 1991 Criminal Act, a conviction of apostasy carries the death penalty. Once again, the charge is based on the Sudanese officials’ position that Meriam is a Muslim, as non-Muslims cannot be charged with apostasy.
...
Sudan’s legal system has often displayed a pattern of selective enforcement of the law and has frequently singled out women, ethnic minorities, and activists with punishments often disproportionate to alleged crimes committed. Meriam’s imprisonment and potential conviction following a hearing scheduled to be held by Sudan’s Criminal Court at the Haj Yousif court complex in Khartoum on 11 May 2014 threatens to continue this dangerous trend. The fact that Meriam stands to lose her life over specious charges makes this case of utmost urgency and demands a unified advocacy and outreach efforts by human rights defenders across the globe.

http://sihanet.org/news/pregnant-sudanese-woman-faces-public-flogging-and-execution-if-convicted-apostasy-and-adultery

There have been a number of cases over the years of Sudanese convicted of apostasy, but they all escaped the gallows by recanting their faith. Ibrahim is the first to be sentenced to death for apostasy, Mohammed and Idriss say.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/world/1.590944