Author:
Publication: BBC News
Date: February 17, 2003
URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2772505.stm
Three Jordanians have been sentenced
to jail terms over the publication of an article touching on the sex life
of the Prophet Muhammad.
The three faced charges of insulting
Islam and damaging the prestige of the state with the article published
in the independent al-Hilal (The Crescent) weekly newspaper.
They were also found guilty of destabilising
society, propagating perversity and circulating false rumours with the
article published on 14 January, about Muhammad relationships with his
wives, in particular his favourite wife, Aisha.
Muhannad Mubaideen, the author,
was sentenced to 18 months in jail, but his sentence was commuted to six
months.
The judge in the case said he commuted
Mubaideen's sentence to six months to allow him to reconsider his actions,
without elaborating.
Roman Haddad, the chief editor of
al-Hilal, was given a 14-month sentence, which was commuted to two months,
while Nasser Qamash, the managing editor, was given 15 months, which was
commuted to three months.
The judge blamed them for sanctioning
the article.
Press curbs
BBC correspondent Caroline Hawley
in Amman says the subject of the Prophet's sex life is a major taboo and
the article infuriated Islamists.
But the fact it was considered a
crime to be heard in a state security court has alarmed human rights activists,
who say civil liberties have been dramatically eroded since the 11 September
attacks on the United States.
The sentences, handed down by the
state security court, cannot be appealed.
But the judge told the Associated
Press that two of the journalists could be freed if they pay an undetermined
fine.
A defence lawyer said Haddad and
Qamash were ready to pay the fine.
Nidal Mansour, who works for a centre
that defends journalistic freedoms, says Jordan's Islamist parties, which
hold strong sway in the kingdom's labour unions, pressured the government
into taking action.
"By condemning these journalists,
the government wanted to cut the grass from under the Islamists' feet and
prevent them from using the text to spearhead" their campaign for the coming
legislative elections, he told French news agency AFP.
Closed down
The three journalists had pleaded
innocent at the start of their trial at the end of January.
They testified they had not meant
to libel Muhammad, but that the article had been extracted from historic
and religious references tackling his sexual life with his wife.
Al-Hilal, an independent publication
with an estimated circulation of 7,000, was closed down on when the three
were arrested on 16 January.
The judge ruled it should remain
closed for another month as punishment.
'Renewed vigour'
The article, entitle Aisha in the
Prophet's Home, focussed on the Muhammad's relationship with his wives,
and Aisha in particular.
The article alleged that the prophet
had become sexually potent when he married Aisha, the text of the indictment
said.
The article said Aisha was the only
virgin among the prophet's many wives and mentioned that with her the prophet
had attained the sexual vigour of "40 men".
Correspondents say the charge of
"damaging the prestige of the state" was levelled notably because Jordan's
Hashemite rulers claim descent from the family of the Prophet Muhammad.
