Bahrain charges U.S. teacher with insulting Prophet

UNCLAS MANAMA 000651 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PGOV OPRC KIRF KPAO BA SUBJECT: Bahrain charges U.S. teacher with insulting Prophet Mohammed ¶1. (SBU) Summary: This cable provides background on the case of a teacher at a local U.S. university charged with insulting the Prophet Mohammed. This case originally surfaced in the Arabic-language press approximately three months ago and has now been picked up by the international media. The teacher is no longer in Bahrain. Bahraini law protects all religions from defamation. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Sometime in June, a teacher at the New York Institute of Technology's Bahrain campus used a doll as a prop to lead a discussion on religious tolerance. Some students objected to the characterization of Mohammed and reported the teacher to the school authorities. After an intervention by the Ministry of Education, the teacher apologized. Another student then claimed that the teacher further insulted her and would not accept the apology. The teacher departed the island in July and eventually the case made its way to the Public Prosecution. ¶3. (SBU) The Public Prosecution completed its investigation in early September and referred the case to a judge. The judge has scheduled a hearing for 9 October in the lower criminal court. The judge can pronounce a sentence in absentia at that time if the Public Prosecutor has served a summons to the accused. Alternately, the judge may defer the hearing in order for the accused to be notified either via publishing the summons in the official gazette or by having the local police deliver the summons to appear. A close Embassy contact at the Public Prosecution explained to the consular officer that according to Bahraini law, it is a crime to blaspheme or otherwise insult any religion. Ramadan and the current financial crises have overshadowed this case as there has been no further reporting since last Friday, except for in the international press. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: With the accused no longer in Bahrain, a guilty verdict will have little immediate effect. The teacher would likely be barred from returning to Bahrain and could be subject to a fine and/or jail time if she did attempt to re-enter the country following a guilty verdict. Post has not had any contact with the accused. Henzel