A Jordanian military court Monday convicted three journalists of libeling Islam's prophet and sentenced them to prison terms ranging from two to six months.
The State Security Court said their Jan. 14 article about the prophet's sex life harmed Jordan's image, "destabilizing the society, propagating perversity and circulating false rumors."
The journalists had pleaded innocent. They said the article was based on historic and religious references about the Prophet Muhammed's life with his wife, Aisha, and was never intended to libel him.
Muhannad Mubaideen, 29, who wrote the article for the al-Hilal weekly newspaper, was sentenced to six months in prison.
The article's editors, Roman Haddad, 28, and Nasser Qamash, 33, were given two and three months, respectively.
The court also ordered the paper an independent weekly with an estimated circulation of 7,000 closed for another month as punishment. Police shut down al-Hilal on Jan. 16 after arresting the journalists.
Under Jordanian law, the verdicts and sentences are irrevocable. But the judge said the editors could be freed if they pay an undetermined fine which their lawyer said they were ready to do.
According to prosecutors, the article claimed that when Muhammad became a prophet and set up a Muslim state in present-day Saudi Arabia, "he became financially capable to spend on married life and had since chosen whatever woman he desired."
The article also alleged the prophet had become sexually potent with the energy of 40 men when he married Aisha, a virgin. The writer quoted Aisha as saying that Muhammad "had his revelations while both of us were in the same bed," prosecutors said.
Jordan imposed serious restrictions on the press in 2001, amending a penal code to set fines and prison terms for violating journalists.
Meanwhile, the Jordanian-based Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists released a statement criticizing the verdict as unprecedented and called for the journalists' release.