KHARTOUM, Dec 3: A British woman jailed in Sudan for insulting the Holy Prophet (pbuh) was released on Monday hours after being granted a presidential pardon.

A British embassy spokesman said that Gillian Gibbons was in their custody following the pardon from Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir, but refused to give any further details on her precise location.

“We can confirm now she’s in British embassy custody and our officials are with her,” Omar Daair said.

Beshir signed her pardon earlier on Monday after meeting two British Muslim peers who flew to Khartoum on a mercy mission to petition for Ms Gibbons’s early release.

The mother-of-two was arrested eight days ago and sentenced to 15 days in prison on Thursday.

Gibbons is to leave for Britain as soon as possible. The embassy refused to comment on her travel plans, but Lord Nazir Ahmed told reporters that he hoped her departure would be “very soon”.

Britain welcomed her amnesty. as a victory for “common sense”.—AFP