A Jordanian military tribunal acquitted five university students of incitement charges on Sunday leveled over accusations they had engaged in "devil worship" and desecrated the Koran, a court official said.
"The court declared the students innocent and ordered them freed for lack of evidence," the official told Agence France Presse, without elaborating.
The students from Al Al-Bayt University in northeastern Jordan were detained in March and charged with "doctrinal and sectarian incitement."
Human Rights Watch has said the students were assaulted by a crowd of other students before their arrest.
Other students have alleged the five ripped and burned a manuscript of the Muslim holy book and threw it in the toilet while performing a "religious ritual," according to the New York-based watchdog.
Incitement is punishable by up to three years in jail in Jordan.
Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/83574 |