A British schoolteacher has been arrested in Sudan accused of insulting Islam's Prophet, after she allowed her pupils to name a teddy bear Muhammad.
Colleagues of Gillian Gibbons, 54, from Liverpool, said she made an "innocent mistake" by letting the six and seven-year-olds choose the name.
Ms Gibbons was arrested after several parents made complaints.
The BBC has learned the charge could lead to six months in jail, 40 lashes or a fine.
Officials from the British embassy in Khartoum are expected to visit Ms Gibbons in custody later.
"We are in contact with the authorities here and they have visited the teacher and she is in a good condition," an embassy spokesman said.
The spokesman said the naming of the teddy happened months ago and was chosen by the children because it is a common name in the country.
Are these people out of thier tiny, primitive minds?
Everybody name something muhammad out of protest. There has been a spider living on my ceiling for the last two day, His name is now Muhammad.
Does this mean that, because Muhammad is the most common name, calling a dud Muhammad is blasphemous? o.O
ReplyDeleteIn the paper today they were reporting that one of the children being taught by this lady said "don't punish my teacher, I named the teddy after myself.
ReplyDeleteThey seem to make barbaric laws up as they go along.
HI JUST HEARD SHE HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY CHARGED -- DON'T KNOW HOW TO BUT NEED TO MAKE A REAL ISSUE OUT OF THIS - MUSLIMS CAN CHOOSE TO LIVE OUR LIFE OR THEY CAN BE SOCIAL OUTCAST, EXAMPLE AT WORK NOT SPEAKING ENGLISH IN FRONT OF ME - WELL THAT OFFENDS ME. WORRIED THIS POOR WOMANS MISERY WILL GO UNNOTICED - WHERE IS THE SHOUTING AND PROTESTS NOW.
ReplyDeleteI GUESS I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH A STICKY CAPS LOCK KEY, AND YOU SEEM TO BE THE ONLY ONE SHOUTING.
ReplyDelete