A gunman shot dead Jordanian writer Nahed Hattar on Sunday as he was about to go to court to stand trial on charges of contempt of religion after sharing on social media a caricature that was seen as insulting God and Islam.



Nahed Hattar, a staunch supporter of Syrian regime leader Bashar al Assad, was arrested after he shared a caricature that depicted a bearded man in heaven smoking in bed with women, asking God to bring him wine and cashews.



Many Muslim Jordanians considered it offensive and against their religion. The authorities said he violated the law by widely sharing the caricature.



The state news agency quoted a security source as saying Hattar was killed by a man who fired three shots at him on the steps of the palace of justice in the Jordanian capital.



"The assailant was arrested and investigations are ongoing," Petra quoted the security source as saying.