The Iraqi journalist who threw shoes at then-President George W. Bush responded defiantly¹ Thursday when a court convicted him of assaulting a foreign leader and sentenced him to three years in prison, shouting "long live Iraq" when the verdict was read.

Muntadhar al-Zeidi's bold act in December electrified² many across the Middle East who consider him a hero for defiantly expressing his anger at a president who is widely disliked for his decision to invade Iraq in 2003.

The 30-year-old journalist pleaded not guilty to the assault charge Wednesday, telling the three-judge panel that "what I did was a natural response to the occupation."

Reporters and family members were then ordered out of the courtroom for the verdict, which was relayed to them by defense³ attorneys and a court official.

Some of al-Zeidi's relatives collapsed⁴ after the ruling was issued and had to be helped out of the courthouse. Others were forcibly removed by guards after shouting "down with Bush" and "long live Iraq."

"This judiciary is not just," al-Zeidi's brother, Dargham, said tearfully after Wednesday's verdict was announced.

Court spokesman Abdul-Sattar Bayrkdar said al-Zeidi received the minimum sentence for the assault charge but could appeal the conviction. He could have received up to 15 years in prison for hurling⁵ his shoes at Bush during a December 14 press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Defense lawyers said the judge showed leniency⁶ because of al-Zeidi's age and clean record. But they had hoped for an even lighter⁷ sentence, arguing the journalist's actions constituted an insult rather than an assault.

"The sentence was unexpectedly harsh," said Yehya al-Eitabi, one of some two dozen defense lawyers who attended Thursday's hearing and said they would appeal the verdict.

His assessment⁸ was shared by some in Baghdad.

"Al-Zeidi should have been honored and not sent to prison," said Salam Omar who owns a cell phone shop in eastern Baghdad.

The journalist has been in Iraqi custody⁹ since the shoe incident. Bush quickly ducked to avoid being hit and was not injured. Al-Zeidi was quickly wrestled¹⁰ to the ground by guards and dragged away.

本周四，伊拉克一家法院以攻击外国领导人的罪名判处用鞋砸美国时任总统布什的伊拉克记者三年监禁，这名记者当庭抗议，并在宣读判决时高呼“伊拉克万岁”。

去年12月，伊拉克记者蒙塔兹•扎伊迪公然表达了自己对美国前总统布什的愤怒情绪，他的大胆行为在中东地区引发了强烈反响，人们将他视为英雄。布什因2003年发动伊拉克战争而受到广泛指责。

本周三，面对攻击外国领导人的指控，30岁的扎伊迪坚称自己无罪，并对三人陪审团说“他的所作所为是对美国侵占伊拉克的一种本能反应。”

判决期间记者和扎伊迪的家人被要求在庭外等候，判决结果由辩护律师和一名法庭官员向他们转告。

判决宣布后，扎伊迪的一些亲属当场晕倒，只能被搀扶出法庭，而另一些人则因高呼“打倒布什”和“伊拉克万岁”被警卫强行带走。

在本周三判决结果公布后，扎伊迪的哥哥德尔加姆流着眼泪说：“司法官不公正”。

法庭发言人Abdul-Sattar Bayrkdar称，这对扎伊迪所犯的罪行来说已经是最轻的判罚，但他还可以提出上诉。根据法律，扎伊迪原本可能会被判处15年的监禁。去年12月14日，在美国前总统布什和伊拉克总理努里•马利基联合召开的一个新闻发布会上，扎伊迪将鞋砸向了布什。

辩护律师称，考虑到扎伊迪的年龄且没有前科，法官已经宽大处理。但他们本希望判决会更轻，称扎伊迪的行为只能构成侮辱而非攻击罪。

辩护律师团成员Yehya al-Eitabi说：“判决过重，出乎我们的意料。”由约二十人组成的辩护律师团参加了本周四的听证会，并表示他们将上诉。

巴格达的一些民众也持同样看法。

巴格达东部一家手机店铺的老板萨拉姆•奥马尔说：“扎伊迪得到的应该是荣誉，而不是把他送进监狱。”

鞋袭事件后，扎伊迪一直被拘禁在伊拉克。事发时布什迅速俯身躲过了飞鞋，并未受伤，扎伊迪随即被警卫制服在地并被拖走。