Teacher Imprisoned Over Teddy Bear Name

Volume 3: December Comments Off

by Steven Ferdin

On November 28th, a teacher working at a Sudan high school was arrested for letting her students name a teddy bear Muhammad. Gillian Gibbons, originally from Liverpool, England, was arrested for charges of insulting religion, and stirring up hatred. Gibbons was unaware that it is condemned to depict the religious prophet Muhammad; her crime was punishable with a maximum sentence of imprisonment, a fine, or 40 lashes. The next day she was found guilty for insulting religion and was sentenced to fifteen days imprisonment and deportation out of the country.

The Muslim community of her home country came to her defense calling the punishment and charges on her “appalling.” Protesters took the streets of Sudan demanding the death of Miss Gibbons. On December 3rd, after negotionations from the British government urging for her release, she was given a Presidential pardon and all charges against her were dropped. Once she returned to England, she expressed dismay and she stated that she would not have knowingly insult Islam out of the respect she has for the religion. Apparently the reason for all the outrage is that it is highly offensive in the Muslim religion.

admin @ December 19, 2007