A British teacher was found guilty of insulting religion and sent her to 15 days in prison in Sudan. The reason? She allowed a teddy bear to be named “Mohammed”
Her lawyer told CNN that Gillian Gibbons also faces deportation from Sudan after her prison term. He said that he was “very disappointed” with the verdict and that Gillian plans to appeal. Though convicted of insulting religion. Gibbons was not for two other charges brought against her; inciting hatred and showing contempt for religious beliefs.
Gibbons was arrested Sunday after asking her class of 7-year-old in Khartoum to name the stuffed animal as part of a school project. Though there is no ban in the Quran on images of Allah or the Prophet Mohammed, likenesses are considered highly offensive by Muslims.
The courthouse, where a dazed and somber Gibbons arrived for her closed hearing early Thursday, was heavily guarded by police; they kept journalists, and for a while even one of her lawyers, at bay.
Gibbons could have faced a sentence of 40 lashes, a fine, or a jail term of up to a year, according to the Foreign Office, which expressed Britain’s dissatisfaction with the verdict .
“We are extremely disappointed that the charges against Gillian Gibbons were not dismissed,” Foreign Secretary David Miliband said in a statement issued shortly after the verdict was announced.
“As I said this morning, our clear view is that this is an innocent misunderstanding by a dedicated teacher. Our priority now is to ensure Ms. Gibbons’ welfare, and we will continue to provide consular assistance to her. I have called in the Sudanese ambassador, Omer Siddig, this evening to explain the decision and discuss next steps.”
The complaint came from one of the staff members where Gibbons works and Robert Boulos, the head of Unity High School said he was horrified when he found out it was from another staff member and not from a parent as originally thought. Defense counsel later confirmed that the complaint came from Sarah Khawad, a secretary at the school.
He said Gibbons asked the children to pick their favorite name for the new class mascot, which she was using to aid lessons about animals and their habitats.
Offensive or not?
These types of things is exactly what irks me about religion. Why is it offensive if something has the likeness of a Prophet if it is not meant in a derogatory way. Shouldn’t the children be sentenced to 15 days as well? After all — they were the ones that named the teddy bear.
Shouldn’t it be considered an honor that someone names a teddy bear after a Prophet? Do they even know what a Teddy Bear Stands for? It often serves the purpose of comforting children. Naming the Teddy Bear Mohammed would only mean that the children find comfort in their religion.
Does this mean that every woman who named their child Mohammed (or any other form of the name) should be sent to jail as well?
What do you think?
November 30th, 2007 at 9:49 am
You have got to be kidding me? This is the stupidest thing I have heard in a long time. They put a teacher in jail for 15 days because of a teddy bear she and her 7 YEAR OLD studets named “Mohammed”. How repressed and over the top is that!!! Shame on those who convicted her and support the conviction. This is ridiculous!!
November 30th, 2007 at 10:44 am
I must admit that although it may seem minor to us, who live outside of this religion, it may be seen as a major offense to those within this religious circle. That being said, I find it truly sad that the governing heads of that nation didn’t have the guts to face their own people and reprimand them for calling for an execution.
In a metaphoric way: What if you were a parent and your youngest child (perhaps 2 or 3 yrs. old) blurted out a profane word that was heard by you and your older kids (perhaps 8 and 10 yrs old)? If your older kids were telling you to beat the young child for the offensive word, do you reprimand the youngest child (who probably heard the word on television, or from his/her older siblings) and not tell the older kids that they are wrong for telling you to beat the child?
November 30th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Unbelievable! Any excuss to kill someone. They use their religon as an excuse to murder and get away with it. They are always “outraged” or “offended”. They are allowed to do whatever they want to foriegn visitors because it is “their” country and yet…when they do something violent in ours….they cry religious freedom! whenever they are looking at punishment. Wake up people! They are slowly pushing their laws and values on us by using our tolerance as a weapon against us…They are not stupid people, they know our weeknesses.
November 30th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Don’t that country have enough to deal with , without causing any further trouble and pain? Aren’t the Jwanga Weed Killing , raping and starving other Muslims.in that county. Where is the pubic outcry for all those victims?