The government has said they cannot help the family of Meriam Ibrahim, who has been sentenced to death in Sudan, unless they go and ask them formally for their help.

Meriam is awaiting execution for converting from Islam to Christianity and marrying a Christian, Daniel Wani.

Mr Wani is a South Sudanese man with US citizenship.

He is now in Khartoum to try and help his wife.

Meriam was arrested after her brother opened a case against them for alleged adultery and they were charged under article 146 of the Sudan Criminal Code.

“Our embassy in Khartoum has been waiting from either Mr Daniel Wani himself or the relatives of Meriam to come to the Embassy so that they inform and give the details to the embassy,” Dr. Barnaba Marial, Foreign Minister, told Eye Radio this morning.

“Until yesterday they had not yet actually come; but we need it that information so that we can officially take a step as the government of the Republic of South Sudan through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to see how we help our Dear mother Meriam out of their troubles she is in.”

Meriam recently gave birth while chained up in jail causing protest around the world.

A report by Human Rights Watch claims the prison she is being held is overcrowded and suffers from ‘poor sanitation, disease and the deaths of many children living with their mothers’.

An Islamic Sharia judge said she could be spared the death penalty if she publicly renounced her faith and becomes a Muslim once more.