UK Muslims dismayed by Sudan sentence

Muslim organisations in the UK have expressed concern and dismay at the jailing of a UK teacher by a Sudanese court.

The Ramadhan Foundation, the Federation of Student Islamic Societies in the UK and Ireland, and Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, all separately indicated that the decision was excessive, and would damage relations between Muslims and others.

Yesterday, 54-year-old school teacher Gillian Gibbons was sentenced to 15 days in jail and deportation from Sudan when she was found guilty of insulting religion.

She was acquitted of other charges which might have led to a longer sentence and a public flogging.

Her lawyers have said they will appeal the conviction.

Muslims took to the streets of Khartoum today demanding death for the teacher, whose case arose after her class named a teddy bear 'Mohammed'.

The protestors chanted, 'No one lives who insults the Prophet' as they made their way through the streets of the capital.

At least 1,000 protestors shook their fists or waved banners or ceremonial swords and chanted religious and nationalist slogans after leaving Muslim Friday prayers.

Banners called for punishment for Gibbons, and some protestors burned newspapers that contained pictures of the teacher.

The protestors marched from there to the British embassy where they surrounded the ambassador's residence, chanting religious slogans. There were no reports of violence.

Diplomatic moves

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has criticised the prison sentence, saying he is 'extremely disappointed' with the decision.

He insisted the move stemmed from an 'innocent misunderstanding'.

Mr Miliband summoned Sudan's ambassador to London for talks shortly after the Khartoum court sentence was announced.

The foreign ministry said that during the 45-minute meeting, Mr Miliband 'expressed in the strongest terms' his concern at the continued detention of Ms Gibbons.

But the head of the Khartoum primary school in question, Robert Boulos, warned the penalties could have been much worse if she had been convicted on the two more serious charges of inciting hatred and showing contempt for religious beliefs.