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Crime

Jordanian author shot dead outside court

September 25, 2016

The Christian writer had been expected in court on charges of insulting Islam and inciting sectarian strife. He had circulated a caricature titled "God of Daesh" that satirized the "Islamic State" militant group.

https://p.dw.com/p/2QZHu
A picture of Amman, Jordan's capital
Image: picture-alliance/M. Schmidt

A gunman on Sunday shot and killed prominent Jordanian writer Nahed Hattar in front of the country's Palace of Justice in Amman.

Hattar, a Christian known for his support of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, was expected in court to stand trial for contempt of religion and inciting sectarian strife. Police arrested the author in August, although he was released on bail in September.

Authorities claimed Hattar shared a caricature on social media that insulted Islam, effectively violating the kingdom's laws.

The image allegedly depicted a bearded man in heaven smoking in bed next to two women, calling on God - seen looking into the room as a figure with a white beard and golden crown - to bring him nuts and wine.

Hattar had said that as a "non-believer," he respected "believers who did not understand the satire behind the cartoon," reported Qatar's al-Jazeera broadcaster.

Many conservative Muslim Jordanians found the image offensive, and believed it targeted their religion. Hattar denied wanting to insult God.

The man who opened fire on the writer has been taken into custody, law enforcement authorities said, according to Jordan's state news agency Petra. He was reportedly around 50 years of age and dressed in the traditional garb of ultra-conservative Muslims.

The incident comes after Jordan held parliamentary elections last week, which witnessed the conservative Muslim Brotherhood's Islamic Action Front gained 17 out of 130 seats for the first time in years.

Hamas wieder in Jordanien
Nahed Hattar is known for his writings criticizing political IslamismImage: privat

ls/tj (AFP, Reuters, dpa)