Protests in Sudan Follow British Woman's Sentence

What we have here is a case of cultural misunderstandings
Ali Alhadithi
Federation of Student Islamic Societies

From BBC - November 30, 2007

Protests took place in Khartoum following Friday prayers

Crowds of people have marched in the Sudanese capital Khartoum to call for a tougher sentence for a UK teacher jailed for insulting religion.

Gillian Gibbons, 54, from Liverpool, was jailed for 15 days on Thursday after allowing children in her class to name a teddy bear Muhammad.

Some news agencies reported protesters had called for her to be shot.

Muslim Labour peer Lord Ahmed is to lead a parliamentary group to Sudan to try to secure Mrs Gibbons' release.

Lord Ahmed expects to meet the president and possibly the chief justice, and is travelling at the invitation of the Sudanese government.

'Kill her'

A Foreign Office spokesman has said Ms Gibbons said she was "fine" when visited by consular staff on Friday.

The marchers took to the streets after Friday prayers to denounce the sentence as too lenient.

The protesters gathered in Martyrs Square, outside the presidential palace in the capital, many of them carrying knives and sticks.

Some news agencies reported thousands of people took part in the protest, but a BBC reporter at the scene said up to a thousand marchers turned out.

According to some agencies, some of the protesters chanted: "Shame, shame on the UK", "No tolerance - execution" and "Kill her, kill her by firing squad".

One demonstrator told reporters that it was unacceptable to take a toy and call it Muhammad.

"We can't accept it from anybody. Even if they can do that in Europe, they cannot do it here in Sudan. We ask our rulers and judges to review what they have said. Fifteen days is not enough."

Hundreds of riot police were deployed but they did not break up the demonstration.

The Foreign Office said it was seeking more details about the protest.

'Strongest terms'

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been in touch with Mrs Gibbons' family for a second time, speaking to a close relative of the teacher.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband has expressed "in the strongest terms" the UK's concern at her detention.

On Friday afternoon a spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "Consular staff have visited her today and she said she is fine."

He said there were no plans to issue advice to British nationals living and working in Sudan in the light of the trouble, but diplomatic staff were keeping "a close eye" on the situation.