Culture And Media
Denmark: Journalists face legal action in Jordan for cartoons
Copenhagen, 3 June (AKI) - A Jordanian organisation wants to prosecute the Danes responsible for the publication of cartoons considered blasphemous to the Islamic Prophet Mohammed.
According to Danish media reports, 11 Danes have been summoned to appear before the Jordanian public prosecutor to answer charges of blasphemy and threatening the national peace.
The media reported the action a day after a bomb attack outside the Danish Embassy killed at least eight people and injured several others in Islamabad.
Those facing legal action include the cartoonist who drew one of the Mohammed cartoons and editors from 10 of the 17 newspapers that reprinted them.
The Danish media reports said the group behind the announcement is called The Prophet Unites Us, a union of Jordanian media organisations, groups and private individuals.
"The public prosecutor decided to summon the Danes for a series of criminal offences. Now the Danes have to meet in Jordan," said Zakaria al-Sheikh, the group's general secretary, to Politiken newspaper.
He said that the country's public prosecutor would ask the Danish embassy for help in contacting officials to arrange a meeting of the editors.
Osama al-Bettar, the group's lawyer, reportedly said that if the Danes did not appear, the next step will be to inform Interpol and seek their arrest.
The public prosecutor confirmed to Politiken that the editors had been summoned.
However, the Danish foreign ministry said deportation was not a possibility. It would require that the printing of the Mohammed cartoons is punishable in Denmark, which is not the case.
The case is being brought under changes made to the Jordanian Justice Act in 2006.
The changes make it possible for Jordanian officials to prosecute crimes committed outside the country if it affects the people of Jordan by electronic means.
Ten Danish newspapers all published the cartoons on their websites in February after a threat was made on the life of one the cartoonists.
Both the cartoonist and the responsible editors are accused of violating Jordanian law, which prohibits the ridicule of a prophet. It is considered offensive to depict Mohammed in any way.
According to Danish media reports, 11 Danes have been summoned to appear before the Jordanian public prosecutor to answer charges of blasphemy and threatening the national peace.
The media reported the action a day after a bomb attack outside the Danish Embassy killed at least eight people and injured several others in Islamabad.
Those facing legal action include the cartoonist who drew one of the Mohammed cartoons and editors from 10 of the 17 newspapers that reprinted them.
The Danish media reports said the group behind the announcement is called The Prophet Unites Us, a union of Jordanian media organisations, groups and private individuals.
"The public prosecutor decided to summon the Danes for a series of criminal offences. Now the Danes have to meet in Jordan," said Zakaria al-Sheikh, the group's general secretary, to Politiken newspaper.
He said that the country's public prosecutor would ask the Danish embassy for help in contacting officials to arrange a meeting of the editors.
Osama al-Bettar, the group's lawyer, reportedly said that if the Danes did not appear, the next step will be to inform Interpol and seek their arrest.
The public prosecutor confirmed to Politiken that the editors had been summoned.
However, the Danish foreign ministry said deportation was not a possibility. It would require that the printing of the Mohammed cartoons is punishable in Denmark, which is not the case.
The case is being brought under changes made to the Jordanian Justice Act in 2006.
The changes make it possible for Jordanian officials to prosecute crimes committed outside the country if it affects the people of Jordan by electronic means.
Ten Danish newspapers all published the cartoons on their websites in February after a threat was made on the life of one the cartoonists.
Both the cartoonist and the responsible editors are accused of violating Jordanian law, which prohibits the ridicule of a prophet. It is considered offensive to depict Mohammed in any way.
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