Jordanian writer Nahed Hattar

Amman, (IINA) : Nahed Hattar, a Jordanian writer, was on Sunday charged with offending Islam after he shared a cartoon depicting God and heaven that sparked anger in the kingdom.

Amman Judge Abdullah Abul-Ghannam said Hattar was charged with inciting sectarian strife and racism and insulting religion. He was remanded in custody pending further investigation. The cartoon, the origins of which are unclear, lampooned how extremists view the afterlife, but immediately sparked accusations of blasphemy and distorting the image of Islam, The National newspaper reported.

After Hattar shared the cartoon, social media users quickly circulated a hashtag saying “Hattar does not represent us” and demanded that legal action be taken against him.

Hattar, a leftist writer known for his critical views against Jordanians of Palestinian origin and a staunch supporter of the Assad regime in Syria, shared the cartoon to his Facebook page on Friday.

Hattar could face up to three years in prison. The prosecutor also banned media coverage of the case in Jordan. Jordanian Prime Minister Hani Al-Mulki ordered an investigation and the governor of Amman issued an arrest warrant. Hattar, who has written for newspapers in Jordan and Lebanon, first went into hiding but turned himself in on Saturday.

On Saturday, Jordan’s Dar Al-Iftaa department, which issues religious edicts for the government, said the writer had exploited the calls against terrorism to attack religion.

“What has been published is fomenting hatred and sowing discord in the country,” the department said.