The 56-year-old journalist who wrote for the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar was gunned down on the steps of the court in Amman’s central Abdali district, where he was summoned over anti-Islam cartoon. He was hit three times and was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

The gunman, reportedly bearded and dressed as a conservative Muslim, gave himself up to police in Amman where he was arrested and remanded in custody. Hattar’s family said that he had no protection despite having asked for it after receiving death threats on Facebook and by phone.