Amman - A Jordanian court of first instance has sentenced a poet for one year in jail after finding him guilty of "slandering" Islam, judicial sources said Monday.

The tribunal also fined poet Islam Samhan 10,000 dinars (14,000 dollars), in the case that was filed in October last year by the Printing and Publication Department.

The Department accused Samhan of using sentences and quotations from the holy Koran in such a manner that involved an "insult of prophets and religious sentiments."

Samhan, 27, denied the charges, saying the verdict was designed to "please religious circles." His lawyer, Khair Hourani, said the ruling was "not founded on sound legal bases" and that he intended to appeal it. (dpa)