We obviously welcome the decision by the Sudanese Appeals Court to order the release of Ms. Meriam Yahya Ibrahim Ishag. Her case has rightly drawn the attention of the world and has been of deep concern to the United States Government and many of our citizens and their representatives in Congress.

Nothing can bring the lost moments back to a mother and her children, but today we celebrate the reunification of this family. From this step, we would hope that the Government of Sudan could take further strides toward a different and more hopeful future for the people of Sudan.

We continue to urge Sudan to repeal its laws that are inconsistent with its 2005 Interim Constitution, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. These actions would help demonstrate to the Sudanese people that their government intends to respect their fundamental freedoms and universal human rights.