Rare photograph of jailed Jordanian poet Islam Samhan

October 23, 2008

by Suzan Abrams in Dublin

Here is a rare photograph of the now 27 year old jailed poet Islam Samhan in an earlier reflective mood.

The photograph was sent to me this morning by Samhan's boss, Hada Sarhan, a well-known journalist in Jordan who now works for the Arabic Alarab Alyawm newspaper with subscriptions all over the Middle-East. Sarhan described Samhan as "such a nice unassuming man" to have worked with. His colleagues are fighting for his release.

Please note that the copyright of this photograph belongs to Hada Sarhan's personal records.

Samhan has been arrested for his forbidden verses in Grace like a Shadow which incorporated Koran imagery into romantic discourses. This was viewed sternly by Jordan's highest religious mufti and a fatwa was issue against Samhan was declared an enemy of the State for insulting Islam. For more details, please read my last 2 entries below this post.