Artist Fahmi Reza fined 30,000 ringgi­tKUALA LAMPUR: A Malaysian artist and prominent opposition activist was jailed for a month on Tuesday for publishing a caricature of Prime Minister Najib Razak looking like a clown, a ruling likely to exacerbate concern about free speech. Artist Fahmi Reza was found guilty under a communications law for spreading online content deemed “obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive in character with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass another person”. “We are appealing the decision,” Syahredzan said, adding that they will post a 10,000 ringgit bond to release Fahmi from custody pending the appeal. Thousands rally in Malaysia to oust premier NajibFahmi faces a second similar charge in a separate court. Najib, who faced a leadership challenge following the 1MDB scandal, is preparing to call general elections that must be held by August.

Source: The Express Tribune February 20, 2018 13:14 UTC