Muntadhar al-Zeidi, the Iraqi TV Correspondent who threw his shoes into the face of US President Bush during his farewell meeting with US military authorities and Iraqi government officials in Baghdad, is seeking asylum in Switzerland.
This was announced by al-Zeidi’s Geneva-based lawyer Mauro Poggia, saying that his client’s life is in danger in Iraq.
Fox news.com: ‘A Swiss lawyer working on behalf of the Iraqi Journalist who threw shoes at US President George W. Bush says his client will seek political asylum in Switzerland.
Al-Zeidi is currently in an Iraq jail awaiting trial on charges of assaulting foreign leader for his December 14 outburst at a news conference in Baghdad.
Poggia said he was contacted by al-Zeidi’s family earlier this month. He says the journalist has been beaten and tortured in Iraqi detention.
Poggia told the Associated Press on Monday that al-Zeidi would have to go to the Swiss Embassy in Baghdad once he is released to formally file the Asylum request.
The shoe-throwing incident generated worldwide attention when members of media covering the conference captured the actual shoe throwing incident on video and flashed on world-wide real time news alerts.
In Iraq and most of the Middle Eastern countries, the actual throwing of al-Zeidi and ducking of President Bush was shown almost every hour on most TV programs in the region.
Some critics in Iraq and other parts of the world hailed the shoe-throwing incident by al-Zeidi, saying that it was in protest of the Bush administration’s occupation and intrusion into the domestic affairs of Iraq while other moderates say that it was an uncivilized act and calling the incident a breach of respect of traditional Arab hospitality towards guests.
Al Zeidi is presently under custody by the Iraqi authorities while his case is being tried in Iraqi court.