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Jordanian Poet Islam Samhan Sentenced One Year, Fined 10000 JD.
Cairo 2162009
The Jordanian court issued a ruling the least to be called an oppressive, sentencing Islam Samhan (27 years) to one year prison and fining him 10000 JD. He was accused of ridiculing the religion and divine doctrines, offending prophets and not registering his publication at the Jordanian department of printing and publishing.
The story dates back to
March 2008
, when Islam published his divan "Rahaqet Dhel" , Gracefulness of a Shadow. He faced a campaign led by Moslem Brothers and the Jordanian Mufti accusing him of blasphemy because of some verses he wrote. The campaign resulted in Samhan being prosecuted and detained for 15 days on 19102008.
On the other hand, Samhan stated that he has registered his book in the National Library and submitted copies at the Jordanian department of printing and publishing early 2009, and that some ministries and government institutes bought copies of it.
Samhan said, " it is not at all about blasphemy, but because of the poem " when features are that clear", describing how dim-witted intelligence people are, as they convince the Arab ruler that his own people are but a senseless pile of lumber".
ANHRI condemns this heavy – handed sentence and considers it an explicit assertion of blasphemy that may lead to shedding Samhan’s blood, there by calling on all
human rights organizations
working on
freedom of expression
and opinion and requesting the Jordanian writers association to assume their responsibilities in standing against darkness dwellers and inciters to murder.
ANHRI asserts that literature should only be debated on newspapers , forums and at lobbies and calls the Jordanian government not to chain words and drag poems to court which is an extremely violent breach of all International conventions regarding freedom of expression and opinion. More details on
