Liverpool teacher jailed in Sudan for 15 days
Nov 29 2007 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post
Liverpool teacher, Gillian Gibbons, who teaches at Unity High School in central Khartoum, was arrested after letting the children in her class name a teddy bear Mohammed _320
TALKS to release Aigburth schoolteacher Gillian Gibbons from a Sudanese jail are now a “matter of urgency”, Downing Street has said.
Her family are making arrangements to fly out to visit her in prison.
Mrs Gibbons appeared in court today, having been charged with insulting religion and inciting hatred after allowing her seven-year-old pupils at the Unity School, in Khartoum, to name their class teddy bear Mohammed. She was later jailed for 15 days ahead of deportation.
Last night, her estranged husband, Peter, described Mrs Gibbons as “the most gentle soul you could wish to meet” and said she will be petrified at the thought of 40 lashes.
He said: “My son called me this afternoon and told me the news.
“We are all extremely upset and can’t imagine the hell that Gillian is going through.
“She is the innocent party in all this and would never mean to cause offence.
“The British Embassy have told us she is doing well and we are awaiting advice on visas to be able to fly out and visit her.
“We are just praying that the Foreign Office will do their job to the best of their ability and bring her home.”
Last night, Mrs Gibbons’s MP, Louise Ellman, said she had met Foreign Secretary David Miliband in an attempt to resolve the diplomatic situation.
Mr Miliband will today meet the Sudanese ambassador for talks.
Ms Ellman said: “I am terribly concerned and have been in touch with the Foreign Office and the family.
“David Miliband has also expressed his concerns, and I have asked the Foreign Office to keep me informed. This is an unacceptable escalation of an innocent situation.”
The former deputy head of Dovecot Primary School was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of insulting Islam’s prophet, after a complaint to Sudan’s Ministry of Education.
Friends and supporters of the mother-of-two say there was never any intention to cause offence and have demanded her release.
Downing Street expressed surprise and disappointment at the decision to charge her.
Mrs Gibbons, who moved to Sudan in July after the break-up of her marriage, was charged under Article 125 of the Sudanese Criminal Code.
Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said he was “appalled”, calling it “a disgraceful decision that defies commonsense”.
Lord Steel, the former Liberal party leader, is flying to Sudan on Monday as part of an all-party mission to improve relations.
He promised to raise Mrs Gibbons’s plight with President al-Bashir.
Former neighbour and friend Peter Sorensen said: “It’s outrageous Gillian has been charged over this.
“To think that she could face jail or 40 lashes is horrendous.
“I find it appalling that there are people who get away with brutal crimes and yet a caring teacher is being villified because her pupils chose the name Mohammed for a teddy bear. It beggars belief.”
Mohammed Akbar Ali, leader of Liverpool’s Muslims, said he was shocked, but said the teacher had been “naive” and should have been more aware of Sudan’s laws.
He added: “I can only wish the best to her family and hope that the situation gets resolved as soon as possible.”
Concerns over teacher 'relayed to highest level in Sudan' >>>
