The British teacher jailed in Sudan won a pardon on Monday and was released into British care. Gillian Gibbons, sentenced on Thursday to 15 days in jail followed by deportation for insulting Islam, was pardoned after an appeal by two prominent British Muslims to Sudan's president for her early release.
An adviser to Sudanese President Hassan al-Bashir, asked to confirm Gibbons had been pardoned, said: "Definitely, yes." Students waved flags and beat drums in protest outside the British embassy in Khartoum, following demonstrations on Friday when Islamists called for the teacher's death.
Gibbons apologised after the pardon announcement for any discomfort she had caused to the people of Sudan. The British embassy said she was in its care. "I have been in Sudan for only four months but I have enjoyed myself immensely. I have encountered nothing but kindness and generosity from the Sudanese people," she said, in a statement read by British Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, one of the peers who met Bashir.
"I have great respect for the Islamic religion and would not knowingly offend anyone. I am sorry if I caused any distress." A Sudanese presidential adviser said she was expected to leave Sudan on Monday. She was leaving for security reasons. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, whose country has had poor relations with Sudan for several years mainly due to the ongoing conflict in Darfur, said he was "delighted and relieved" to hear that Gibbons would be released shortly.
Comments
Comments are closed.