AMMAN — 2016 · Murder
The Murder of Nahed Hattar
Jordanian writer and political commentator Nahed Hattar was on trial for insulting religion over a cartoon he had shared on social media. On the morning of 25 September 2016, as he climbed the steps of Amman's Palace of Justice to attend his hearing, he was shot dead by a gunman. The attacker was caught at the scene by family members and police. The killing sparked intense debate in Jordan about freedom of expression and religious tolerance; human rights groups argued that his prosecution had made him a target. The perpetrator was sentenced to death in December 2016 and executed on 4 March 2017.
- Date
- 2016
- Place
- Amman Governorate, Jordan, Amman, JO
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- 31.9550, 35.9150 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 13 August 2016Hattar was arrested over the cartoon.
- 25 September 2016He was shot dead outside the Palace of Justice; the attacker was caught.
- 20 December 2016The perpetrator was sentenced to death.
- 4 March 2017The perpetrator was executed.
Sources
- Human Rights Watch — Jordan: Prominent writer gunned down at court hrw.org ↗
- CPJ — Jordanian commentator Nahed Hattar shot to death cpj.org ↗
- Al Jazeera — Killer of author Nahed Hattar sentenced to death aljazeera.com ↗
- Human Rights Watch
- CPJ
- Al Jazeera
Source grade B: at least one verifiable linked source. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.