British officials are trying to secure the release of a British schoolteacher arrested in Sudan for letting her pupils name a teddy bear Muhammad.
British officials are trying to secure the release of a British schoolteacher arrested in Sudan for letting her pupils name a teddy bear Muhammad.
Gillian Gibbons, of Liverpool, may face blasphemy charges for insulting Islam's Prophet. A conviction could mean six months in jail, 40 lashes or a fine.
Gillian Gibbons, of Liverpool, may face blasphemy charges for insulting Islam's Prophet. A conviction could mean six months in jail, 40 lashes or a fine.
Her colleagues said she had made an "innocent mistake" by letting the six and seven-year-olds choose the name.
The Sudan Embassy in London said the situation was a "storm in a teacup", based on a cultural misunderstanding.
British embassy officials have visited Ms Gibbons, 54, in Khartoum prison.
British embassy officials have visited Ms Gibbons, 54, in Khartoum prison.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said consulate officials were also in contact with Ms Gibbons' family, and said he felt "very sorry" about what was happening to her.
Parental complaints
The toy was named in September as part of the class's study of animals and their habitats.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said consulate officials were in contact with Ms Gibbons' family, and said he felt "very sorry" about what was happening to her.
But several parents made complaints to the authorities which led to Ms Gibbons' arrest on Sunday.
He said officials would continue their contacts with the Sudanese authorities to "clarify the position so that she can be released".
Amber Henshaw, reporting for the BBC from Sudan, said Ms Gibbons would spend Tuesday being questioned by Sudanese authorities.
The toy bear was named in September as part of the class's study of animals and their habitats.
This was a completely innocent mistake. Miss Gibbons would have never wanted to insult Islam Robert BoulosDirector of Unity High School
We don't have any teddy bears over here, so in Sudan, for us, it is a fierce and dangerous animal Dr Khalid al Mubarak, media counsellor, Sudan Embassy
Several parents made complaints to the authorities which led to Ms Gibbons' arrest on Sunday.
It is seen as an insult to Islam to attempt to make an image of the Prophet Muhammad.
Dr Khalid al Mubarak, a spokesman for the Sudan embassy in London, said that although he had not yet been able to speak to the investigating officer, procedure meant Ms Gibbons would have to be questioned and reports of the situation had been overblown.
He said Ms Gibbons' job as a teacher, as well as Britain's diplomatic ties with Sudan, would also be taken into consideration.
'Horrible misunderstanding'
Dr Mubarak said: "The way the British think of the teddy bear - as far as Christmas is concerned, and toys are concerned - we don't have any teddy bears over here, so in Sudan, for us, it is a fierce and dangerous animal.
"The cultural background is very different, that is a very important point.
"I expect that this will be treated as a minute complaint by a worried parent given the cultural background that bears do not have the same cuddly image.
"Basically, it's a storm in a teacup."
Inayat Bunglawala, assistant secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, also said it appeared to have been a "quite horrible misunderstanding" and Ms Gibbons should never have been arrested.
There was no apparent intention to offend Islamic sensibilities or defame the honour and name of the Prophet Muhammad, he said.
Gillian Gibbons had been working in Khartoum since August
Louise Ellman, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, said Foreign Office officials were trying to calm things down.
Louise Ellman, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, said Foreign Office officials were trying to calm things down.
Ms Gibbons, her constituent, was being held in reasonable conditions in custody but was upset by what had happened, she said.
Ms Gibbons, her constituent, was being held in reasonable conditions in custody but was upset by what had happened, she said.
And it was unclear how long it would be before Sudanese authorities decided whether to charge her, she added.
And it was unclear how long it would be before Sudanese authorities decided whether to charge her, she added.
"I hope common sense does prevail and the situation can be seen as what it is - and not an intended insult but something that was misunderstood," said Ms Ellman.
"I hope common sense does prevail and the situation can be seen as what it is - and not an intended insult but something that was misunderstood," said Ms Ellman.
Fair Trials International said it was hard to say what the teacher, her family and supporters could expect because information about the Sudanese legal system was scarce.
Fair Trials International said it was hard to say what the teacher, her family and supporters could expect because information about the Sudanese legal system was scarce.
The school has now been closed until January for fear of reprisals.
Are you in Sudan? Do you feel offended by what the teacher did? Should she be punished? Send us your views using the form below:
Fellow teachers at Khartoum's Unity High School told Reuters news agency that they feared for Ms Gibbons' safety after receiving reports that men had started gathering outside the police station where she was being held.
Name vote
The school's director, Robert Boulos, said: "This is a very sensitive issue. We are very worried about her safety.
"This was a completely innocent mistake. Miss Gibbons would have never wanted to insult Islam."
Mr Boulos said Ms Gibbons, who joined the school in August, was following a British national curriculum course designed to teach young pupils about animals and this year's topic was the bear.
A seven-year-old girl was asked to bring in her teddy bear and the class voted on a name, he said.
I know Gillian and she would never have meant it as an insult. I was just impressed that she got them to vote Muslim colleague at Unity High School
From a list of eight names, 20 out of the 23 children chose Muhammad as their favourite name.
Mr Boulos said each child was then allowed to take the bear home at weekends and told to write a diary about what they did with it.
The entries were collected in a book with a picture of the bear on the cover and a message which read, "My name is Muhammad", he said, but the bear itself was not marked or labelled with the name in any way.
One Muslim teacher at the independent school for Christian and Muslim children said she had not found the project offensive.
"I know Gillian and she would never have meant it as an insult. I was just impressed that she got them to vote," the teacher said.
The Foreign Office said on Friday it had not received any information to suggest Ms Gibbons had been charged.
Gillian Gibbons had been working in Khartoum since August
The country's state-controlled Sudanese Media Centre reported that charges were being prepared "under article 125 of the criminal law" which covers insults against faith and religion.
No-one at the ministries of education or justice was available for comment.
Catherine Wolthuizen, chief executive of Fair Trials International, said she hoped the authorities would realise there was no blasphemous intent.
"The bear was never intended to be an effigy and I would expect the British Embassy officials to be pressing that message to the Sudanese authorities."
The BBC's Amber Henshaw said there had been little coverage in the Sudanese press, with just two English-language newspapers picking up the story.
In Liverpool, a family spokeswoman said Ms Gibbons' children, John and Jessica - both believed to be in their 20s - were not commenting on her arrest.
It is seen as an insult to Islam to attempt to make an image of the Prophet Muhammad.
Inayat Bunglawala, assistant secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said it appeared to have been a "quite horrible misunderstanding" and Ms Gibbons should never have been arrested.
There was no apparent intention to offend Islamic sensibilities or defame the honour and name of the Prophet Muhammad, he said.
Cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad printed in several European newspapers sparked violent protests around the world in 2006.Are you in Sudan? Do you feel offended by what the teacher did? Should she be punished? Send us your views using the form below:
