It is incredible but obscenely true: a Sudanese court has sentenced a woman to death by hanging for refusing to renounce her Christian faith. On top of that she was also sentenced to 100 lashes for adultery. The reason: she married a Christian!

One almost feels the need to pinch oneself and re-read such a statement before realising that this piece of infamous news is true. Then the horror sinks in.

The horror becomes greater when one realises that the condemned person, Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag, 27, is eight months pregnant.

Her father is a Muslim but her mother is an Orthodox Christian. Since her father was absent while she was growing up she was baptised and grew up as a Christian. This means that she never apostatised from Islam.

But whatever … In 2014 how is it possible that there are states which condemn people to death because they changed their religion?

The judge was very ‘magnanimous’! (sic) He gave her three days to think about it. If after three days she still decides to remain a Christian she will be beaten and then hanged.

Several countries represented in Sudan through their ambassadors released a statement to express their “deep concern” in the case, calling upon the government "to respect the right to freedom of religion, including one's right to change one's faith or beliefs.”

The statement, issued by the embassies of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, said that the right to freedom of religion included in Sudan's 2005 interim constitution as well as in international human rights law.

Issuing a statement is not enough. The attitude of the Sudanese court is barbaric. The actions of the judge are the actions of a savage. The civilised world should impose greater and more effective pressures against these savages.