![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/433\/2014\/05\/blasphemy-apostasy_apostasy640px1.png\" "\\"blasphemy-apostasy_apostasy640px\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nWhat is apostasy and where is it practiced<\/strong><\/span>? According to this excellent article in the online news organization, The Daily Mirro<\/a>r, \u201capostasy is the legal name for religious conversion or a complete desertion of an individual\u2019s religion, principles, political party of cause.\u00a0The name derives from the latin apostasia which means \u2018to revolt\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n Who punishes it?<\/span> <\/strong>\u00a0According to the \u00a0Pew Research Center<\/a>, the countries above all have apostasy laws. \u00a0Many countries including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Libya, Sudan and Nigeria, all impose the death penalty.<\/p>\n Why is apostasy in news?<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> \u00a0It\u2019s in the news because a Sudanese court recently sentenced a 27 year old woman to death for refusing to renounce her Christian faith. \u00a0The young woman,\u00a0Meriam Ibrahim, is the daughter of a Muslim father and a Christian mother. She married a Christian man and says that she was raised as a Christian. \u00a0 The Guardian<\/a> reports that \u201cIbrahim\u2019s marriage to a Christian man was invalid and that she was guilty of apostasy and adultery. Ibrahim was sentenced to 100 lashes for adultery and to be hanged for apostasy.\u201d<\/p>\n What happened?\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>Meriam went to prison and recently gave birth. The international community has spoken out against the death sentence. England called \u00a0the convictions and sentences \u201d barbaric.\u201d And Amnesty International is trying to get the Sudanese government to free the young woman. Hillary Clinton even tweeted her opposition.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a \u00a0short \u00a0review of the accusations from CNN.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n