JORDAN – A Jordanian writer who was arrested for posting a cartoon deemed offensive to Islam has been shot dead.

Nahed Hattar was assassinated in front the Supreme Court in Amman with local media reporting he was shot three times in the head.

The shooter has reportedly been arrested by security forces.

Mr Hatter had turned himself in to authorities after the Jordanian Prime Minister, Hani Mulki, ordered an investigation into a cartoon he had shared on Facebook.

The cartoon depicts God in paradise, being treated as a servant by an Arab man, who is in bed with two women and asking for wine. 

Hattar, a Christian, was arrested on August 13 after posting the caricature on his Facebook account.

He removed the cartoon shortly thereafter, saying “it mocks terrorists and their concept of God and heaven. It does not infringe God’s divinity in any way”. It is not known who produced the cartoon.

Saed Hattar, a relative of Mr Hatter, said the cartoon was posted to illustrate the twisted religious views of Isis extremists and was deleted after the post received angry responses.