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| Peer voices Sudan teacher hopes | Peer voices Sudan teacher hopes |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A UK Muslim peer has said she hopes for an early resolution to the ordeal of a British teacher in Sudan who has been jailed for insulting religion. | A UK Muslim peer has said she hopes for an early resolution to the ordeal of a British teacher in Sudan who has been jailed for insulting religion. |
| Baroness Warsi said talks about freeing Gillian Gibbons had "presented hope". | Baroness Warsi said talks about freeing Gillian Gibbons had "presented hope". |
| Conservative Lady Warsi and Labour peer Lord Ahmed are still hoping to meet President Omar al-Bashir in their bid to have Mrs Gibbons released. | Conservative Lady Warsi and Labour peer Lord Ahmed are still hoping to meet President Omar al-Bashir in their bid to have Mrs Gibbons released. |
| The 54-year-old from Liverpool was imprisoned for 15 days after letting her pupils name a teddy bear Muhammad. | The 54-year-old from Liverpool was imprisoned for 15 days after letting her pupils name a teddy bear Muhammad. |
| Mrs Gibbons still has "warm things" to say about Sudan, Baroness Warsi said after meeting her again on Sunday. | Mrs Gibbons still has "warm things" to say about Sudan, Baroness Warsi said after meeting her again on Sunday. |
| She added: "I understand the cultural and religious sensitivities around Islam, but as a woman and a British woman I have huge concerns for Gillian and I just hope that we can carry on presenting the case for Gillian and reach an early resolution. | She added: "I understand the cultural and religious sensitivities around Islam, but as a woman and a British woman I have huge concerns for Gillian and I just hope that we can carry on presenting the case for Gillian and reach an early resolution. |
| You have got to remember there are other forces in Khartoum as well who feel the sentence was too lenient Louise Ellman MP class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7123517.stm">Opinion divided in Sudan | |
| "This is a very important issue, a huge issue, and we must remain optimistic and hopeful that we can resolve it as early as possible." | "This is a very important issue, a huge issue, and we must remain optimistic and hopeful that we can resolve it as early as possible." |
| She added: "They've presented us with hope. Enough for us to carry on having those meetings. | She added: "They've presented us with hope. Enough for us to carry on having those meetings. |
| "There's no time-frame or agenda set at this stage but we just want at this stage to carry on with the day-to-day meetings. I met Gillian, she's in good spirits, she has been very positive, she had warm things to say about Sudan." | "There's no time-frame or agenda set at this stage but we just want at this stage to carry on with the day-to-day meetings. I met Gillian, she's in good spirits, she has been very positive, she had warm things to say about Sudan." |
| Intense activity | Intense activity |
| Mrs Gibbons's local MP Louise Ellman said: "You have got to remember there are other forces in Khartoum as well who feel the sentence was too lenient and so I think it is a matter of doing everything that is possible, doing it very carefully, keeping very focussed and just dealing with things as they arise." | Mrs Gibbons's local MP Louise Ellman said: "You have got to remember there are other forces in Khartoum as well who feel the sentence was too lenient and so I think it is a matter of doing everything that is possible, doing it very carefully, keeping very focussed and just dealing with things as they arise." |
| Following an hour-long visit to Mrs Gibbons by the British ambassador on Sunday, a Foreign Office spokesman said: "Ms Gibbons's welfare remains our priority and we will continue to provide full consular assistance for as long as Ms Gibbons is detained. | Following an hour-long visit to Mrs Gibbons by the British ambassador on Sunday, a Foreign Office spokesman said: "Ms Gibbons's welfare remains our priority and we will continue to provide full consular assistance for as long as Ms Gibbons is detained. |
| "Government ministers and officials in London and Sudan are continuing to do everything they can to try to resolve this consular issue as quickly as possible through intense activity on a wide range of channels." | "Government ministers and officials in London and Sudan are continuing to do everything they can to try to resolve this consular issue as quickly as possible through intense activity on a wide range of channels." |
| Mrs Gibbons allowed her class to name the teddy bear Muhammad UK Sudanese defends teacher "Islamic guidance needed" | |
| The two peers have already held meetings with Sudanese government officials, including the foreign minister, to try to resolve the situation. | The two peers have already held meetings with Sudanese government officials, including the foreign minister, to try to resolve the situation. |
| Mrs Gibbons's chief defence lawyer has said he expected her to be pardoned following the peers' visit. | Mrs Gibbons's chief defence lawyer has said he expected her to be pardoned following the peers' visit. |
| He told the BBC that he had advised his client not to appeal against the verdict or the sentence "for practical and not legal reasons", and she had accepted his advice. | He told the BBC that he had advised his client not to appeal against the verdict or the sentence "for practical and not legal reasons", and she had accepted his advice. |
| In her first public comment since her arrest, Mrs Gibbons said she had been treated well and made a light-hearted comment that she been given so many apples that she "could set up my own stall". | In her first public comment since her arrest, Mrs Gibbons said she had been treated well and made a light-hearted comment that she been given so many apples that she "could set up my own stall". |
| However despite her apparent good spirits, she is being held in secret due to fears for her safety after crowds of protesters marched in the capital Khartoum on Friday demanding a tougher sentence. Some called for the death penalty. | However despite her apparent good spirits, she is being held in secret due to fears for her safety after crowds of protesters marched in the capital Khartoum on Friday demanding a tougher sentence. Some called for the death penalty. |