'Teddy bear' teacher charged with insulting Islam

GIllian Gibbons, 54, a teacher from Liverpool who has been arrested in Sudan

The British school teacher arrested in Sudan has been charged today with blasphemy, insulting Islam and inciting hatred after her pupils named a teddy bear Muhammad.

Gillian Gibbons, 54, now faces 40 lashes, a six month prison sentence or a fine if convicted of the crime.

The decision to press charges has triggered diplomatic tensions between Sudan and Britain. David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, immediately summoned the Sudanese diplomat in London to the Foreign Office.

"We are surprised and disappointed by this development, and the Foreign Secretary will summon as a matter of urgency the Sudanese ambassador to discuss the matter further," a spokesman for Gordon Brown said.

Abdel Daim Zamrawi, Sudan’s deputy justice minister, told reporters: "The investigation has been completed and the Briton Gillian was charged under Article 125 of the penal code."

"The punishment for this is jail, a fine and lashes. It is up to the judge to determine the sentence," he said.

Ms Gibbons has spent three days in custody being questioned by police in Khartoum before a file about the case against her was presented to prosecutors.

The decision to prosecute follows mounting pressure and a series of protests in Sudan by Muslims, who claimed the former deputy head from Liverpool had committed blasphemy by allowing the children in her class at Khartoum’s Unity High School where she worked to name to toy after the prophet.

She is due to appear before a judge tomorrow for a formal hearing.

There has been some speculation that the mother-of-two, who had only been in Sudan since leaving England in July, could also be charged with sedition, a far more serious charge than insulting Muslims.

In Khartoum, leaflets had been distributed calling for protests after Friday prayers as students at the city’s university held protests waving Sudanese newspapers which featured pictures of the teacher on the front page.

Muhammad Toum, a law student, said: "She is a teacher and should be teaching her pupils to be respectful and have morals but instead she is doing the opposite."