Teddy “Muhammad” Bear Teacher Found Guilty, Sentenced to 15 Days in Jail

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This from AP:

KHARTOUM, Sudan — A defense lawyer says a British teacher has been found guilty of inciting religious hatred and was sentenced to 15 days in prison and deportation from Sudan for letting her students name a teddy bear Muhammad.

The crime was punishable by up to 40 lashes.

Gillian Gibbons walked in without handcuffs, wearing a dark jacket and blue skirt, according to reporters in the courtroom before media were ordered out of the chamber. Riot police surrounded the courthouse.

Muhammad is a common name among Muslim men, but giving the name of Islam’s founder to an animal would be seen as insulting by many Muslims.

In a statement read to the court, Gibbons explained the incident and emphasized that her 7-year-old students picked the teddy bear’s name, British Embassy spokesman Omar Daair told The Associated Press. Gibbons’ lawyer said she would likely take the stand later.

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