Jordanian police stand guard in front of a hospital where the body of Jordanian writer Nahed Hattar, who was shot dead, was held in Amman, Jordan, September 25, 2016. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed
AMMAN: A prominent Jordanian writer was shot dead outside court Sunday where he was standing trial on charges of contempt of religion.
Writer Nahed Hattar was struck by three bullets before the assailant was arrested, the official Petra news agency quoted a security source as saying.
The Jordanian Public Security Directorate said Hattar had been rushed to hospital where he had breathed his last.
The controversial writer was detained in August for sharing a caricature seen offensive to Islam on his Facebook page.
He was released on bail earlier this month and put on trial on charges of contempt of religion and stoking sectarian strife.
