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Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi throws shoes at US then-president Bush at a news conference on December 14,2008. The Iraqi journalist who threw shoes at then-President George W. Bush responded defiantly Thursday when a court convicted him of assaulting a foreign leader and sentenced him to three years in prison, shouting "long live Iraq" when the verdict was read.
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The Iraqi journalist who threw shoes at then-President George W. Bush responded defiantly Thursday when a court convicted him of assaulting a foreign leader and sentenced him to three years in prison, shouting "long live Iraq" when the verdict was read.
Muntadhar al-Zeidi's bold act in December electrified many across the Middle East who consider him a hero for defiantly expressing his anger at a president who is widely disliked for his decision to invade Iraq in 2003.
The 30-year-old journalist pleaded not guilty to the assault charge Wednesday, telling the three-judge panel that "what I did was a natural response to the occupation."
Reporters and family members were then ordered out of the courtroom for the verdict, which was relayed to them by defense attorneys and a court official.
Some of al-Zeidi's relatives collapsed after the ruling was issued and had to be helped out of the courthouse. Others were forcibly removed by guards after shouting "down with Bush" and "long live Iraq."
"This judiciary is not just," al-Zeidi's brother, Dargham, said tearfully after Wednesday's verdict was announced.
Court spokesman Abdul-Sattar Bayrkdar said al-Zeidi received the minimum sentence for the assault charge but could appeal the conviction. He could have received up to 15 years in prison for hurling his shoes at Bush during a December 14 press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
Defense lawyers said the judge showed leniency because of al-Zeidi's age and clean record. But they had hoped for an even lighter sentence, arguing the journalist's actions constituted an insult rather than an assault.
"The sentence was unexpectedly harsh," said Yehya al-Eitabi, one of some two dozen defense lawyers who attended Thursday's hearing and said they would appeal the verdict.
His assessment was shared by some in Baghdad.
"Al-Zeidi should have been honored and not sent to prison," said Salam Omar who owns a cell phone shop in eastern Baghdad.
The journalist has been in Iraqi custody since the shoe incident. Bush quickly ducked to avoid being hit and was not injured. Al-Zeidi was quickly wrestled to the ground by guards and dragged away.
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(Agencies)
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本周四，伊拉克一家法院以攻擊外國領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人的罪名判處用鞋砸美國時任總統(tǒng)布什的伊拉克記者三年監(jiān)禁，這名記者當(dāng)庭抗議，并在宣讀判決時高呼“伊拉克萬歲”。
去年12月，伊拉克記者蒙塔茲?扎伊迪公然表達了自己對美國前總統(tǒng)布什的憤怒情緒，他的大膽行為在中東地區(qū)引發(fā)了強烈反響，人們將他視為英雄。布什因2003年發(fā)動伊拉克戰(zhàn)爭而受到廣泛指責(zé)。
本周三，面對攻擊外國領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人的指控，30歲的扎伊迪堅稱自己無罪，并對三人陪審團說“他的所作所為是對美國侵占伊拉克的一種本能反應(yīng)?！?/font>
判決期間記者和扎伊迪的家人被要求在庭外等候，判決結(jié)果由辯護律師和一名法庭官員向他們轉(zhuǎn)告。
判決宣布后，扎伊迪的一些親屬當(dāng)場暈倒，只能被攙扶出法庭，而另一些人則因高呼“打倒布什”和“伊拉克萬歲”被警衛(wèi)強行帶走。
在本周三判決結(jié)果公布后，扎伊迪的哥哥德爾加姆流著眼淚說：“司法官不公正”。
法庭發(fā)言人Abdul-Sattar Bayrkdar稱，這對扎伊迪所犯的罪行來說已經(jīng)是最輕的判罰，但他還可以提出上訴。根據(jù)法律，扎伊迪原本可能會被判處15年的監(jiān)禁。去年12月14日，在美國前總統(tǒng)布什和伊拉克總理努里?馬利基聯(lián)合召開的一個新聞發(fā)布會上，扎伊迪將鞋砸向了布什。
辯護律師稱，考慮到扎伊迪的年齡且沒有前科，法官已經(jīng)寬大處理。但他們本希望判決會更輕，稱扎伊迪的行為只能構(gòu)成侮辱而非攻擊罪。
辯護律師團成員Yehya al-Eitabi說：“判決過重，出乎我們的意料?！庇杉s二十人組成的辯護律師團參加了本周四的聽證會，并表示他們將上訴。
巴格達的一些民眾也持同樣看法。
巴格達東部一家手機店鋪的老板薩拉姆?奧馬爾說：“扎伊迪得到的應(yīng)該是榮譽，而不是把他送進監(jiān)獄。”
鞋襲事件后，扎伊迪一直被拘禁在伊拉克。事發(fā)時布什迅速俯身躲過了飛鞋，并未受傷，扎伊迪隨即被警衛(wèi)制服在地并被拖走。
相關(guān)閱讀：
“鞋砸布什“游戲風(fēng)靡網(wǎng)絡(luò)
（英語點津姍姍編輯）
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