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Location: Dublin, Republic of, Ireland

Wednesday 29 October 2008

Oct 29 - Exclusive Photo of Jordanian poet Islam Samhan's wife and son

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by Suzan Abrams

Here are photographs of 27-year old Jordanian poet Islam Samhan's young wife, Nadia and their two-year old son, Ward. Below, is Islam Samhan in deep conversation with the late Palestinian poet legend, Mahmoud Darwish.

Nadia is currently pregnant with the couple's second child.

The photographs are exclusive to Kafez and copyright usage is owned by Islam Samhan's family.

If Samhan is convicted from a court case that starts in Amman next Thursday and has to face imprisonment, there is a major possibility that Islamic law in Jordan will require for Samhan to divorce his wife and to never approach her or their son, Ward again. Samhan had already been detailed by police for a fortnight before being released a few days ago.

Islam Samhan's poetry collection Grace Like A Shadow was recently banned by the Jordanian Government for his allegedly amorous verses that were thrown in together with Koranic imagery. Samhan was accused of insulting Islam by a top religious mufti. However, the Jordanian Association of Journalists have fought for Samhan's acquittal, insisting that the charge hampered the freedom of expression in what was otherwise a tolerant Muslim nation and was based merely on one man's opinion.

The poet's life has been upturned while his career as a newspaper journalist has suffered tremendously. He also continues to live in fear of death threats that still targets his home everyday.

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