A Sudanese woman freed from a death sentence has been detained less than 24 hours later as she tried to leave the country.

27-year-old Meriam Ibrahim was sentenced to death by hanging in May after refusing to renounce Christianity.

Ibrahim is being held at Khartoum airport along with her husband at two children.

Sudanese authorities said her travel documents, issued by the South Sudanese embassy were considered a “criminal violation.”

Her defence lawer ,Thabit Suliman, said they were working to get her out: “we are going to do everything possible within the law to gain the release of our client from this difficult situation as she has suffered what she has had to endure. She has spent about seven months in prison and had her freedom for less than 24 hours. We will do what we can to get her released.”

Ibrahim was brought up by her Orthodox Christian mother after her Muslim father left the family when she was young. She considers herself Christian and married a Christian man but Sudanese authorities regard her as Muslim.