The Danish cartoonist whose depiction of the Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) sparked violent riots across the Middle East in 2006 has been
sued in an Amman court for blasphemy.
Kurt Westergaard, whose cartoon appeared in the
Jyllands-Posten newspaper and up to 17 other publications, is being sued in
absentia by a court in Amman by a group consisting of around 30 Jordanian
journalists and activists from independent newspapers, websites and radio
stations.
“A court in Amman began today the trial in absentia of
those who insulted the Prophet, including Westergaard and Danish newspapers
which published his offensive cartoon,” Tareq Hawamdeh, lawyer for the
group told newswire AFP on Tuesday.
“Judge Nathir Shehadeh adjourned the trial until May 8
to hear the witnesses.”
Westergaard, who is currently under 24-hour armed guard by
the Danish Security and Intelligence Service following an attack at his home
last year, was subpoenaed on April 14. However, it is unlikely he will attend
the hearing.
The 75-year-old cartoonist told AFP he had “not heard about
this trial and has not been informed.”
“In any case, I have no intention of going even if I am
asked to,” he said.”I do not want to risk becoming familiar with the
Jordanian prisons.”
Westergaard survived an assassination attempt last January
after an axe-wielding extremist broke into his home in Aarhus, Denmark. He was
able to lock himself into a fortified ‘panic room’ in his house and summon
police.
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