AMMAN - A JORDANIAN prosecutor charged far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders on Tuesday with blasphemy and violation of publishing laws over his film judged anti-Islamic.
Jordan's publishing laws ban insults against Islam and religions.
The charges also include defamation and violation of online publishing laws, according to Mr Tarek Hawamdeh, a lawyer for some 30 Jordanian media outlets which filed an official complaint earlier this month seeking court action against Wilders.
Wilders's 17-minute film 'Fitna' ('discord' in Arabic), which links the Muslim holy book, the Koran, with terror attacks, has sparked uproar in Muslim countries.
'Punishment could be up to three years in jail. Wilders has been summoned to appear before the court. He will be given 15 days to comply, otherwise, an arrest warrant might be issued through the Interpol,' Hawamdeh said.
Dutch prosecutors said on Monday that the Wilders's documentary, though offensive to Muslims, did not give rise to a punishable offence.
'Several of the utterances are indeed offensive about Muslims but were made in the context of public debate,' they said in a statement.
'In public debate, statements can be shocking, sharp or offensive, but that does not make it punishable.'
The kingdom has condemned the film and some Jordanian MPs called for Amman to break diplomatic relations with The Hague. -- AFP
