Teddy Bear Case

The Teddy Bear Case refers to the arrest of British teacher Gillian Gibbons who was arrested in Sudan for the crime of insulting religion because she allowed her class to name their classroom teddy bear Mohammed. She was sentenced to 15 days in jail and deportation. Protests erupted in Khartoum's Martyr's Square the day after her conviction, demanding her execution. She was pardoned after the fifteenth day in prison, and scheduled for deportation back to the U.K. on December 3rd.

1. Charge: insulting religion and inciting hatred
2. Blasphemy punishable in Sudan by 40 lashes, 6 months in prison, and/or a fine

• Google News: Teddy Bear Case
• Echo.co.uk: "Gillian Gibbons freed in Sudan" (December 3, 2007)
  • Sudanese president Al-Bashir signed a letter of pardon, clearing the way for Mrs. Gibbons' release and deportation to the U.K.
• Breitbart.com: Calls in Sudan for Execution of Briton (November 30, 2007)
  • An angry mob of thousands of Sudanese armed with clubs, knives, and axes, gathered in a central square to demand Gillian Gibbons' execution.
• The Telegraph: Crowds demand Teddy bear teacher is shot (November 30, 2007)
  • "Sheikh Abdul Jalil Karuri, a leading cleric, whipped up a crowd attending Khartoum's Martyr's Mosque by telling them Gillian Gibbons had deliberately named her class's teddy bear Mohammed "with the intention of insulting Islam."
• Guardian Unlimited: Protesters demand execution of teddy row teacher (November 30, 2007)
  • "Pick-up trucks carrying Sudanese demonstrators drove around the capital blaring out messages to Gillian Gibbons. Protesters shouted: "No tolerance: execution" and "Kill her, kill her by firing squad"."
• Washington Post: "Sudan Convicts Teacher In Naming of Teddy Bear" (November 30, 2007)
  • ""Things like this make our differences seem like they are unbridgeable," ..."If you don't really know another community, and all you ever hear is these outrageous, alien, unjust things they are doing, you are going to think, 'We've got nothing in common.'"
• BBC News: Pupil defends Sudan row teacher (November 28, 2007)
• SKY News: Talks Over Teacher Gillian Gibbons' Teddy Bear Arrest (November 27, 2007)
• The Sydney Morning Herald: "Teacher facing 40 lashes over teddy bear 'insult'" (November 27, 2007)
• CNN.com: Teacher charged in teddy bear case (November 27, 2007)
• BBC News: 'Muhammad' teddy teacher arrested (November 26, 2007)
• MSN Video: Fear for Gillian Gibbons
• FOX News: U.K.: Sudan Ambassador Will Relay Concerns Over Teddy Bear Teacher (November 29, 2007)

• Google Blog Search: Teddy Bear Case

• Comment is free: A Teddy Called Muhammad (November 27, 2007)

• BBC News: Sudan teddy insult teacher: Readers' views (November 27, 2007)

• Strollerderby: Teacher Held For Teddy Bear Name (November 27, 2007)

• The Telegraph: British Muslims should protest teddy lunacy

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