An acclaimed Jordanian writer, Nahed Hattar, was fatally shot Sunday outside an Amman courthouse just moments before he was scheduled to go on trial for posting a cartoon on his Facebook page that was widely perceived as insulting Islam.
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As the Christian writer arrived at the courthouse Sunday, a gunman walked up to Hattar and shot him three-times in the head at close range. According to local press reports, a man was arrested at the scene.
Earlier in the year, Hattar posted a cartoon on social media ridiculing fighters in the Islamic State group, and their vision of God and heaven. Hattar had repeatedly denied accusations that he intended to inslute Islam,and of inciting sectarian strife.
The illustration was titled The God of Daesh, and depicted an Islamic State group militant in bed with two women, ordering God to bring him a drink.
He was arrested last month for the charge, but was freed on bail earlier this month.
The writer’s cousin, Saad Hattar, blames the government for his death.
“The prime minister was the first one who incited against Nahed when he ordered his arrest and put him on trial for sharing the cartoon, and that ignited the public against him and led to his killing,” he said, as reported by The Guardian.
A statement from the victim’s family also holds Jordan’s prime minister, Hani al-Mulki, responsible for Hattar’s death.
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“Many fanatics wrote on social media calling for his killing and lynching, and the government did nothing against them,” they said.
Hattar had previously faced charges before for insulting the country’s king, Abdullah II.