Religious hatred is back in the spotlight, with a British teacher facing 40 lashes or imprisonment in Sudan for allowing pupils to name a teddy bear Mohammed.
54-year-old Gillian Gibbons reportedly urged pupils to call a teddy bear their favourite name, and didn’t stop them when they chose Mohammad. Gibbons was detained in Sudan after the country's top Muslim clerics claim the act was blasphemous. Naming an animal after the Prophet is considered unacceptable by many Muslims. Gibbons now faces various religious-hatred related charges that may lead to imprisonment. Although most likely an apology from the teacher would be enough to resolve the issue. The British Foreign Secretary has urgently summoned the Sudanese ambassador to explain the situation.