Reports: Sudan arrests UK teacher for teddy bear blasphemy

[Saguaro]

CNN) -- Sudan has arrested a British teacher for insulting faith and religion, the British Foreign Office said Monday.

Gillian Gibbons, 54, is being held by police in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, and has not been charged, British officials said.

Numerous media reports say Gibbons was arrested after allowing her class of 7-year-olds to name a teddy bear "Mohammed."

That could be seen as an insult to the Prophet Mohammed, the reports said.

Blasphemy is punishable with 40 lashes under Islamic Sharia law, Britain's Press Association news agency reported.

Gibbons asked the children to pick a name for the bear as part of a lesson on animal habits at Unity High School, PA said.

A British Embassy spokesman in Khartoum was quoted as saying the naming of the bear did not cause immediate trouble.

"The children chose the name because it is very common here," the spokesman told PA.

"This happened in September and the parents did not have a problem with it."

Unity director Robert Boulos told Reuters news agency that Gibbons was arrested Sunday at her home on school grounds after a number of parents made a complaint to Sudan's Ministry of Education.

He said she had since been charged with "blasphemy," an offense he said was punishable with up to three months in prison and a fine, Reuters.com reported.

Gibbons left the northwestern English city of Liverpool for Sudan in July, PA said.

A family spokeswoman told the agency: "I have spoken with her children and they do not want to say anything and aggravate the situation over there."

Boulos told Reuters he had decided to shut the school until January for fear of reprisals. The school on its Web site calls itself a "British international school" teaching children aged 4 to 18.

"This is a very sensitive issue," Boulos was quoted as saying on Reuters.com.

"We are very worried about her safety," he added. "This was a completely innocent mistake. Miss Gibbons would have never wanted to insult Islam."

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/11/26/sudan.bear/index.html

[issac the dragon]

I don't understand the hyper-sensetivity. It is a very common name. I imagine the local government and some of the people who live there were just waiting for an excuse to jump the teacher, because she is a foreigner. Religion is the same here. Christians bend over backwards every day to find something in our schools to take offence to. Then they can go screaming about it to each other. At least, so far, no one has been arrested in this country. Another four years of the neo-cons in charge, and it probably will be an actual crime to offend one of them.

[Wabash]

A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD Sudanese student today defended the British teacher accused of insulting Islam saying he had chosen to call a teddy bear Mohammad because it was his own name.

Gillian Gibbons, a 54-year-old teacher, was arrested on Sunday after complaints that she had insulted Islam's Prophet by allowing the bear to be named Mohammad.

She is facing a third night in jail without being formally charged.

The boy said: "The teacher asked me what I wanted to call the teddy. I said Mohammad. I named it after my name."

He said he was not thinking of Islam's Prophet when asked to suggest a name, adding most of the class agreed with his choice.

Described as “timid and polite,” Ms Gibbons - facing 40 lashes for the 'offence' - had told friends how she was loving her life in the country.

The teacher, from Liverpool, let her class of seven-year-olds choose the teddy’s name as part of a project at Unity High School.

Name blame ... teddy like this has been grabbed as 'evidence'

Name blame ... teddy like this
has been grabbed as 'evidence'

She was said to be “deeply distressed” in a police cell last night after learning she faces the barbaric lashing under the Muslim state’s strict sharia law.

Former colleague Gill Langworthy said today: “I saw her in July and had farewell drinks and she was so excited about going.

“Since then we have been in email contact at least once a week.

“Last week she sent one with pictures of her sitting on a camel and a beach, loving it, she felt so welcomed and loved teaching the children.”

Miss Langworthy, who taught with Ms Gibbons at Garston Primary School in Liverpool, said teaching abroad had always been her friend’s dream.

But she fears for her safety and thinks the experience will have damaged her deeply.

She said: “I am constantly worried, and thinking about her sitting in the prison cell is horrible.

“When we emailed, she never mentioned a thing about any problems and only said positive things about the staff and children because I asked her.

“She was just having a great time and said nothing negative at all.”

Miss Langworthy, an assistant headteacher, said her friend had endured a tough few years with the end of her marriage and several bereavements.

She said: “She will be absolutely petrified about her children John and Jessica and how they are coping and what they are thinking. She’ll be more worried about them.

“But obviously, she will be scared for her own safety.”

Police seized the 12in brown teddy complete with its handwritten name badge, describing it as “evidence”.

An angry group of young men was said to have gathered outside the police station where mum-of-two Gillian is being held to protest about her conduct.

The teacher – formerly deputy head of Liverpool’s Dovecot primary school – began a two-year posting in Khartoum two months ago.

Complaint

Miss Langworthy explained that Ms Gibbons had always wanted to see the world: “It was always a dream of hers.

"Gillian is such a traveller and wanted to increase her knowledge of different cultures and countries and every year would go on mad explorations.

“She always said she fancied teaching abroad.

“She was just fascinated by Sudan and wanted to learn more about their culture and experience life there - which is just Gillian down to a T.

“I think this will knock her confidence horrendously. I am really worried about how it will affect her."

Miss Langworthy said her “inspirational teacher” friend would be “devastated that she has insulted and offended anyone” with “an innocent mistake”.

She was arrested at her home on the school site even though no parents objected to the bear’s name.

It is thought another teacher, said to belong to a conservative Khartoum family, made a complaint.

An item on the Sudanese Media Centre website – closely linked to the nation’s government – reported Gillian could be prosecuted under “faith and religions” legislation.

The teacher, who is estranged from her husband Peter, could also face imprisonment or a large fine.

Her case is being monitored by the British embassy in the city.

A spokesman said: “The children chose the name because it is very common here. Parents did not have a problem with it. We are in contact with the authorities here and they have visited her. She is in good condition.”

The school was set up by Christian groups but also welcomes Muslim pupils. Director Robert Boulos said Gillian “is timid, polite and the children love her”.

The teacher’s former next-door neighbour in Liverpool said she would be going through hell.

Peter Sorensen, 64, added: “Gillian wouldn’t harm a fly. I’m sure she would never have done anything deliberately to insult the Muslim faith.”

Gillian is a keen traveller and is pictured on her MySpace web page with a cheetah and locals during a trip to Kenya. She told pals she hoped to use Sudan as a base to “indulge my wanderlust”.

Her children Jessica, 27, and John, 25, would not comment last night. A relative said: “They do not want to aggravate the situation.”
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article511199.ece

Negotiating peace with these clowns from 800 AD is gonna be tough!

[Wabash]

Overload or durability? Camel specs revealed..
http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x77/watermelon039/tc.jpg

[Ringo]

I don't understand the hyper-sensetivity. It is a very common name. I imagine the local government and some of the people who live there were just waiting for an excuse to jump the teacher, because she is a foreigner. Religion is the same here. Christians bend over backwards every day to find something in our schools to take offence to. Then they can go screaming about it to each other. At least, so far, no one has been arrested in this country. Another four years of the neo-cons in charge, and it probably will be an actual crime to offend one of them.

YOU LIE a LOT don't ya Dragon Lady??? Christians are not the ones, its you damned chicken Liberals, who are OFFENDED by XMAS, God, or anything where HONORABLE Americans are saluted! YOu cheer for Terrorists, Pedophiles, Gangsta criminals, and puke Athiest-Agnostics!

Hell your HERO's are CLINTON-GORE, nuff said!!!:devil:devil:hulk:godzilla

[Trueblue]

This is ridiculous. Surely her government is intervening in this situation.

[issac the dragon]

From what I understand, it is a branch of the government doing it.

[Trueblue]

From what I understand, it is a branch of the government doing it.

I mean her home country, England, I hope they are helping her.

[Lone Laugher]

Ringo....I like the annual winter festval...Santa Claus....snowmen....all the trimmings....and there isn't a "christian" thing about it as far as I am concerned. Just a great time to get together with family, spoil my kids as much as I can and enjoy people being nice to each other.

The rest of your post is too ridiculous to merit reply. Do you ever stop trembling?

[AYFR]

I don't understand the hyper-sensetivity. It is a very common name. I imagine the local government and some of the people who live there were just waiting for an excuse to jump the teacher, because she is a foreigner. Religion is the same here. Christians bend over backwards every day to find something in our schools to take offence to. Then they can go screaming about it to each other. At least, so far, no one has been arrested in this country. Another four years of the neo-cons in charge, and it probably will be an actual crime to offend one of them.

:HUH

All I ever hear about is how a cross or other Christians symbol needs to be taken down ot put away because it offends some athiest.

[Wabash]

YOU LIE a LOT don't ya Dragon Lady??? Christians are not the ones, its you damned chicken Liberals, who are OFFENDED by XMAS, God, or anything where HONORABLE Americans are saluted! YOu cheer for Terrorists, Pedophiles, Gangsta criminals, and puke Athiest-Agnostics!

Hell your HERO's are CLINTON-GORE, nuff said!!!:devil:devil:hulk:godzilla
Yep...Hate is a Liberal Family Value!

I mean her home country, England, I hope they are helping her.
Not a lot they can do...and the Sudan Govt. has committed itself to take some action or look weak to their Muslim citizens...Muslim country...a Great place not to visit!

I don't understand the hyper-sensetivity. It is a very common name. I imagine the local government and some of the people who live there were just waiting for an excuse to jump the teacher, because she is a foreigner. Religion is the same here. Christians bend over backwards every day to find something in our schools to take offence to. Then they can go screaming about it to each other. At least, so far, no one has been arrested in this country. Another four years of the neo-cons in charge, and it probably will be an actual crime to offend one of them.

Kinda got it backwards there don't ya? Nothing new here...same old yada, yada, yada!

:HUH

All I ever hear about is how a cross or other Christians symbol needs to be taken down ot put away because it offends some athiest.

Yep...we had a big Cross up in Eugene that had to be moved because it had been erected on city property 55 years ago. A citizen donated his property on top of a hill taller than the original one.....the Cross is Beautiful and can now be seen by a LOT more people!! They complain about things in DC that have been on buildings for 200 years or more..just stupid...

[Trueblue]

:HUH

All I ever hear about is how a cross or other Christians symbol needs to be taken down ot put away because it offends some athiest.

Really? Is that how you see it, for real? It's not so much that it offends atheists and agnostics, it's that they don't want to be judged for their personal beliefs if they seek justice from the courts.

[Trueblue]

Not a lot they can do...and the Sudan Govt. has committed itself to take some action or look weak to their Muslim citizens...Muslim country...a Great place not to visit!

You're wrong.

[AYFR]

Really? Is that how you see it, for real? It's not so much that it offends atheists and agnostics, it's that they don't want to be judged for their personal beliefs if they seek justice from the courts.

That is BS and you know it.
Suing to get crosses taken down is not representive of what you just said. Suing to get Corpus Christi to change it's name is not either.

[Trueblue]

That is BS and you know it.
Suing to get crosses taken down is not representive of what you just said. Suing to get Corpus Christi to change it's name is not either.

No, it's the truth, and I am sorry that you don't know it.

[AYFR]

It is not the truth. How is suing to get a cross taken down or a cities name changed helping?

How does a cross on a hill or the name of a city judge their personal beliefs?

[Trueblue]

It is not the truth. How is suing to get a cross taken down or a cities name changed helping?

How does a cross on a hill or the name of a city judge their personal beliefs?

I am not familiar with the city name lawsuit, or with the particulars of the cross lawsuit.

I am familiar with separation of church and state, and I am telling you that you are naming some very marginal lawsuits and ignoring the big picture.

[AYFR]

No I am not, you are just seeing what you want to see.
There have been several cases over the past few years suing to take crosses down, to have the moment os silience removed (not moment of prayer but of silence).

Suits such as these are common and stupid.
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) - The city of Las Cruces' official emblem has three crosses that a federal lawsuit alleges are unconstitutional religious symbols on public property.

The lawsuit, filed Sept. 16 in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque, seeks the removal of the crosses.

"The crosses serve no governmental purpose other than to disenfranchise and discredit non-Christian citizens," said the lawsuit filed by Paul F. Weinbaum, who lives in the Las Cruces area, and Martin J. Boyd of Las Cruces.

Defendants include city officials, city councilors, Mayor Bill Mattiace, District Attorney Susana Martinez, state Attorney General Patricia Madrid and Gov. Bill Richardson.

"We have had to defend ourselves before and we're ready to do it again," Mattiace said.

"The crosses have a basis for being in our logo. We will hold course and will defend that," he said.

Las Cruces is Spanish for "The Crosses."

Fermin Rubio, city attorney, said the lawsuit did not raise any new issues since attempts were made in 2003 to prevent the city from using the logo.
http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/32902.html

See Issac said that Christians were the ones that were looking for things to be offended with YET we put up with not mentioning Christmas in schools anymore, no more Christmas or Easter parties (they now have to be called Winter and Spring festivals) and so on and so on. It is not the Christians that are getting offended it si the athiest that have a chip on their shoulder and are getting bent out of shape over things.

[Trueblue]

No I am not, you are just seeing what you want to see.
There have been several cases over the past few years suing to take crosses down, to have the moment os silience removed (not moment of prayer but of silence).

Suits such as these are common and stupid.

http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/32902.html

See Issac said that Christians were the ones that were looking for things to be offended with YET we put up with not mentioning Christmas in schools anymore, no more Christmas or Easter parties (they now have to be called Winter and Spring festivals) and so on and so on. It is not the Christians that are getting offended it si the athiest that have a chip on their shoulder and are getting bent out of shape over things.

You are taking a fringe and making it a movement when it comes to something like the suit to get a city to change its name. Most atheists and agnostics that I know are not concerned about such things, they are worried about being mistreated in a religious society.

Try putting yourself in their shoes. Your Christian kids being the minority in a Muslim school. Try enlarging your ability to see things [:stir, there's more where that came from if you don't stop trying to portray yourself as unbiased].

[AYFR]

Really taking Christmas out of schools is fringe. I don't think do. My ability to see is just fine. America is losing it's traditions one at a time just because thae have "Christian" roots.

[Ringo]

Really taking Christmas out of schools is fringe. I don't think do. My ability to see is just fine. America is losing it's traditions one at a time just because thae have "Christian" roots.

She ain't worth arguing with as she is contrary to everything even remotely Christian IF its backed by a Conservative! I suppose ol TB thought the TOKEN appearence of the Clintons in Church, while their asses were in hot water, made them Born Again! She is naive Rev, and she definetly has a HATE for GOP'rs!!

[Ringo]

Really taking Christmas out of schools is fringe. I don't think do. My ability to see is just fine. America is losing it's traditions one at a time just because thae have "Christian" roots.

The Rev far and away the Champion, again TB staggers to defeat with idiotic innuendo's!!!:sheep

[Wabash]

KHARTOUM, Sudan (CNN) -- A court in Sudan on Thursday found a British teacher guilty of inciting religious hatred by allowing her class to name a teddy bear "Mohammed" and sentenced her to 15 days in prison and deportation, her defense laywer told CNN.
art.gillian.gibbons.jpg

The court in Khartoum ordered Gillian Gibbons, 54, to be incarcerated in the city's Omdurman women's prison, her lawyer said, adding that the verdict was "disappointing" and they would be mounting an appeal.

Journalist Andrew Heavens said the appeal would probably take at least 15 days to mount.

The UK Foreign Office said they are aware of Gibbons' guilty verdict and sentencing. They said her sentence will be 15 days from the date of her arrest. She was arrested on Sunday, so she has 11 days left.

Gibbons was detained after it emerged she had allowed her class of 7-year-olds to choose the name of the toy as part of a school project, Robert Boulos, the head of Unity High School, told CNN.Video Watch latest developments in the case. »

She was ushered into the courthouse earlier through a crowd of reporters by Sudanese police earlier in the day. She looked somber and dazed and was dressed in a black blazer and light blue skirt.

UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband called Gibbons' actions an "innocent misunderstanding," following a meeting with the Sudanese Ambassador to Britain, Omer Siddig, who was summoned to the Foreign Office in London.

"I explained to him that we were very concerned by the case. We believe that this was an innocent misunderstanding," he said in a statement released after the meeting.

"The Sudanese ambassador undertook to ensure our concerns were relayed to Khartoum at the highest level. He also said he would reflect back to Khartoum the real respect for the Islamic religion in this country," the statement added.

Boulos told CNN Wednesday that the complaint about Gibbons' actions came from a staff member at the school, not from a parent as originally thought.

Speaking outside the court, Boulos said a letter from Sudan's Ministry of Education claimed that parents had raised concerns over the naming of the bear. He said he did not know who was responsible, but was "horrified" when he found out it was a member of his own staff.

Defense counsel later confirmed that the complaint came from Sarah Khawad, a secretary at the school. The counsel, who did not give his name, said the hearing had been delayed as it waited for Khawad to arrive at court to give her evidence.

British consular staff and Gibbons' defense team were at first refused access to the court by Sudanese police.

The defense lawyer was later allowed in to see his client but came out after 30 minutes and told reporters the hearing had been adjourned while judges waited for the prosecution team to arrive.

On the first floor of the courthouse, around 25 police linked arms and forced journalists and British officials away from the court entrance. Police detained some journalists, and confiscated a camera belonging to a freelance CNN cameraman.

Four vans filled with riot police were waiting outside the courthouse, but there were no signs of street disturbances or protests. Staff from Gibbons' school, including Boulos, were present. They refused to comment on their colleague's predicament.

The charges against Gibbons were announced Wednesday in Arabic on by state-run news agency.

Although there is no ban in the Quran on images of Allah or the Prophet Mohammed, likenesses are considered highly offensive by Muslims.
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Gibbons has been working at the school -- popular with wealthy Sudanese and expatriates -- since August, after leaving her position as deputy head teacher at a primary school in Liverpool this summer, said Boulos.

He said Gibbons asked the children to pick their favorite name for the new class mascot, which she was using to aid lessons about animals and their habitats.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/11/29/sudan.bears/index.html

[Oceanbreeze]

Back to topic; the blasphemy teddy bear.

She should respect the countries religion, but if it's a common name, I don't see the big deal. I hope England is helping her out.

[issac the dragon]

She was sentenced to 15 days in jail and is to be deported. This is wrong. If she had been Sudanese and a muslim, nothing would have been said. That is one of the risks everyone takes when they live in a foreign country. It even happens here. But here, it isn't the law. People just bitch and make the foreigners life miserable.

Reverend, you know that the only crosses that have been removed, have been on public property. That forces people who aren't Christians to support your religion. I don't care if you put 100 crosses on your property. But the world you want to live in would be a lot like Sudan.

[Saguaro]

I disagree, had she been Sudanese, she would have been given a much harsher punishment

[issac the dragon]

One thing that Christians like to forget when they are trying to foist their symbols upon non-Christians is that there are a number of people in the world and this country that use those symbols for really sick things. Such as the neo-nazis. They call themselves Christians, use the cross, and claim to be teaching the gospel of Christ.

When you slap your symbols around, you are making me look at something and taxing me for something that includes them. So if you want your cross on display, display it where it is private. Your all inclusive religion allows people in it that are evil, and opposed to everything that I believe in.

[Trueblue]

Really taking Christmas out of schools is fringe. I don't think do. My ability to see is just fine. America is losing it's traditions one at a time just because thae have "Christian" roots.

I don't think taking the Christian aspects out of school is fringe at all. Not every kid there is a Christian-and if we want more kids to be Christian, this isn't the way to go about it.

Back to topic; the blasphemy teddy bear.

She should respect the countries religion, but if it's a common name, I don't see the big deal. I hope England is helping her out.

It sounds as if she had no idea it was a problem. There are many Hispanic kids named Jesus, and Muslim kids named Mohammed, and for all I know many of them might better be named Damien.

I hope she is okay in the prison, this would be a terrifying experience.

[issac the dragon]

Is it worse than Gitmo?

She has served five days already. I'm sure it seems like years. I wish people had to take some kind of training before being sent to other countries. Some people around the world don't think in ways that we even understand. Like the Saudis. I wouldn't go to an Islamic republic for love or money. Or to some Christian countries in Africa. Or to Israel. When religion mixes with politics the results are criminal.