A Jordanian writer who stirred controversy for publishing a cartoon deemed offensive to Islam, was shot dead on Sunday outside a courthouse in capital city Amman.
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Mr Hattar died after being shot three times and the gunman was reportedly arrested.
Hattar removed the cartoon from his Facebook page after it triggered outrage on social media.
Mr Hattar’s killer was arrested and police are investigating the killing, TV reports said.
He was released on bail earlier this month and put on trial on charges of contempt of religion and stoking sectarian strife.
Meanwhile, the official body responsible for issuing religious edicts in Jordan condemned the cartoon and said that it only increases hatred and sows discord in the country.
In a statement to Jordan News Agency, Petra, Momani voiced confidence in the Jordanian judiciary and the security agencies in investigating the incident and holding the criminal accountable for his offense. The authorities said Hatter, a prominent activist and a supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, violated the law by widely sharing the caricature.
Two witnesses said the gunman, who was bearded and in his 50s, was wearing a traditional Arab dishdasha.
Following a furore over the cartoon, Hattar had insisted he had not meant to insult Islam but had shared the cartoon to “expose” how Isis “envisions God and heaven”.
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Hattar also accused his Islamist opponents of using the caricature to settle scores with him.
