Killer of Jordanian writer sentenced to death

NAN-F-22

Sentence
Cairo, Dec. 20, 2016  (dpa/NAN) A Jordanian court sentenced a man on Tuesday to be hanged for killing a prominent writer who had been charged in a blasphemy case, state news agency Petra reported.

The writer, Nader Hattar, was shot dead in September outside a courthouse in the capital Amman where he was about to face trial on charges of inciting sectarian hatred.

Hattar, 56, a secular Christian, had outraged many in majority Muslim Jordan when he posted an anonymous cartoon on his Facebook page that many deemed blasphemous.

The killer, a former Imam of a mosque according to reports in Jordanian media, was arrested shortly after the attack.

Two other defendants were jailed for their role in selling a gun to Hattar’s killer, Petra reported, citing the prosecutor general of the state security court.

The caricature posted by Hattar showed a man in heaven sleeping with two women and asking God to bring drink.

The writer removed the cartoon shortly thereafter. (dpa/NAN)

(Edited by Julius Enehikhuere)