Lecturer faces charges
Photo: Visual Photos
Bahrain charges US lecturer with insulting Prophet Muhammad
Lecturer also said to have insulted student wearing head scarf, saying it was 'barrier to knowledge'
A spokesman for Bahrain's general prosecutor says an American teacher has been charged with insulting the Prophet Muhammad for displaying pictures of Islam's founder to university students.
Nawaf al-Maawdah says the pictures showed the prophet in ragged clothing. He says the lecturer also insulted a student for wearing a head scarf, which she described as "a barrier to knowledge." He declined to reveal the name of the teacher or the university.
Bahrain's Gulf Daily News reported that the teacher involved in the affair works at a private university. According to the report, the lecturer was supposed to apologize to the students for her conduct, but instead proceeded to insult the girl who informed the school's management of the teacher's conduct.
Meanwhile, a US embassy spokeswoman said she could not release any information about the case or confirm that an American is involved.
Al-Maawdah said Friday that the case has been referred to court but no trial date has been set. A Bahraini newspaper reported that the teacher left the country.
The latest affair is reminiscent of a 2007 case where a British teacher in Sudan was sentenced to a prison term after she allowed her students to name a teddy bear "Muhammad." However, subsequent international anger and pressure prompted Sudan to release the teacher.
Ynetnews contributed to the report
