Jordan Editors Face Lawsuit

Two Jordanian editors who reprinted the controversial Danish cartoons of the prophet Muhammad were today arrested and charged for the second time in three days.

Jihad al-Momani and Hashem al-Khalidi, editors of the weekly newspapers Shihan and al-Mihwar respectively, face criminal charges that include blasphemy and incitement to violence.

Both journalists were first arrested and charged at the weekend. The second arrest comes as a result of a lawsuit brought by the country’s state-run press and publications department.

Last Thursday, Shihan reproduced three of the Danish cartoons, including one that portrayed the prophet wearing a turban with a bomb about to explode.

Mr al-Momani said he wanted to illustrate the extent of the insult made against Islam and Muslims in the Danish cartoons. But an editorial signed by Mr al-Momani and entitled "Muslims of the world, be reasonable" also questioned what sparked the Muslim uproar now, months after the cartoons were first published.

Within hours of publication, he was sacked and copies of Shihan were withdrawn from newsstands.

Al-Mihwar reproduced the cartoons in January alongside an article that was critical of Jyllands-Posten’s decision to print the cartoons.

Mr al-Momani was rushed to a hospital yesterday, suffering from a heart attack. Mr al-Khalidi was also admitted to a hospital, but it was not immediately clear why. The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists said it was "deeply concerned" about the Jordanian arrests.

"Journalists should not be jailed for what they publish, even when it is considered offensive," said the CPJ executive director, Ann Cooper.