Shoe-throwing journalist sentenced to 3 years in prison

An Iraqi court today has sentenced journalist Montazer al-Zaidi to three years in prison on charges of attacking a foreign leader.

(AP photo)

In December, Al-Zaidi threw both his shoes —a grave insult in the Arab culture— at former US President George Bush during a press conference in Baghdad. Bush dodged both projectiles with the assistance of Iraq's Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, who was standing right next to him.

Al-Zaidi also hurled grave Arabic insults at Bush, calling him "dog" twice, during a press conference that was to culminate his last trip to Iraq before stepping down as US president. Al-Zaidi was immediately brought down to the floor and taken away into custody.

"Shock and dismay overtook his relatives as they heard" the sentence, reports the Arab Monitor. "After the sentence was pronounced, al-Zaidi's sister burst into tears, accusing prime minister Nouri al-Maliki of being an agent of the United States, while his brother Oday denounced the sentence as politically motivated.

"Dhiaa al-Saadi, the head of Montazer al-Zaidi's defence team, said the sentence was not in line with Iraqi law, since his client obviously did not assault President Bush, but was making a political statement; he announced the defence team would contest the sentence in the appeals' court."

During his trial, he acknowledged that two years ago he filmed himself throwing shoes as practice for a future encounter with Bush. He also said that Bush's "icy smile" triggered a great deal of rage in him.

 

Outside the court, his brother, Durgham al-Zaidi (above) expressed outrage at the sentence. During the trial Durgham had said that his brother was tortured while in custody and forced to sign an apology for his act of defiance, which turned him into an instant celebrity throughout the Arab world.