Madonna Not Prosecuted for Mock Crucifixion

Following the call for Madonna to be prosecuted by Dutch Protestant party SGP over a mock crucifixion staged on her 2006 world tour, it has been decided that the pop star will not face charges.

"Madonna will not be prosecuted for blasphemy," the Amsterdam prosecutor's office said, adding that the scene lent itself "to different interpretations".

The singer, 48, said her performance was an appeal for AIDS charities.

Madonna performed the song "Live To Tell" suspended from a cross while wearing a crown of thorns on her head. The mock crucifixion, part of Madonna's four-month Confessions world tour, met protest in most of the countries it visited.

US and European church groups condemned the mock crucifixion, while a priest in the Netherlands was arrested after making a hoax bomb threat in an attempt to stop the Dutch leg of the tour in September.

In Moscow, Russian police detained 10 supporters of Orthodox organisations outside the concert for holding an unauthorised picket.

Madonna defended her performance, saying: "It is no different than a person wearing a cross. My performance is neither anti-Christian, sacreligious or blasphemous.

"I believe in my heart that if Jesus were alive today he would be doing the same thing."

Dutch prosecutors appear to have accepted this interpretation of the scene.

"Through her show, the singer tried to express her frustrations about certain situations in the world," said the prosecutor's office. "It is not a question of contempt for God.

"Furthermore, Madonna did not discredit Christians as a group."