Nahed Hattar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nahed Hattar
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| ناهض حتر | |
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| Born | 1960 Amman, Jordan
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| Died | 25 September 2016 (aged 55–56) Amman, Jordan
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| Cause of death | Assassination |
| Alma mater | University of Jordan |
| Occupation | Writer and political activist |
| Movement | Jordanian Social Left Movement |
Nahed Hattar (Arabic: ناهض حتر Nāhiḍ Ḥattar [na:hidˤ ħɑt.taɾˤ]; 1960 – 25 September 2016) was a Jordanian writer and political activist.
On September 25, 2016, he was assassinated outside the court as he arrived at the trial for sharing a caricature that was viewed as insulting religious beliefs.
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Early life
Nahed Hattar was born in 1960 in Amman, Jordan. He was raised as a Christian and later considered himself an atheist.
Political views
Hattar led progressive and left-wing political movements, in particular he held a leadership role in two political groups: the National Progressive Current and the Jordanian Social Left Movement. He was highly critical of neo-liberal economic policies in Jordan. He defended the right of Arab Christians to armed resistance against terrorist groups such as Al-Nusra, Al-Qaeda, and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Moreover, he was a strong supporter of current Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The writer was also outspoken against Jordan becoming an "alternative homeland” for Palestinians and defended the Palestinian right of return.
Death
On the morning of 25 September 2016, Hattar assassinated by a gunman near the Palace of Justice in the capital Amman.
The gunman was arrested at the scene. A security source identified the suspect as 49-year-old Riad Ismaeel Abdullah, a resident of east Amman. Abdullah is a preacher in a mosque in Amman and an extremist. He was sentenced to death in November and was executed on the dawn of 4 March 2017, along with 14 other criminals.
See also
