Malaysian bloggers charged for posting controversial pork pictures
Charged on July 18 for “seditious publication” after posting a picture on Facebook of dining on pork during Ramadan, Alvin Tan, 25, and Vivian Lee, 24, pleaded not guilty in a Kuala Lumpur district court in Muslim-majority Malaysia. The couple was denied bail and is set for their next court appearance on August 23.
Tan and Lee, a couple, sparked outrage in Malaysia and Singapore before when they first started an erotic blog last year containing pictures of their lovemaking and close-ups of their genitals. Their intention was to destigmatise sex in Malaysia, where pornography is illegal. Tan used to be a law student at the National University of Singapore, but was stripped of his ASEAN scholarship after public outcry due to the X-rated postings.
But sedition isn’t the only charge that the couple faces. They’ve been fingered for causing disharmony on the grounds of religion and possessing or producing obscene materials, crimes that are punishable for up to five years in jail.
Even Prime Minister Najib Razak got his word in, saying: “The insolent and impudent act by the young couple who insulted Islam showed that freedom of expression and irresponsible opinion can jeopardise the community.”
Tan and Lee would later apologise in a video on YouTube, which sparked so much anger that their Facebook page has gone offline. “We are recording this video to ask for forgiveness for offending Muslims in this holy month of Ramadan,” the couple said.
Tan and Lee have been charged under:
a) Section 5 of the Film Censorship Act 2002 for publishing indecent photographs online between July 6 and 7. If found guilty they can be fined not less than RM10,000 ($3,130) or not more than RM50,000 ($15,654) and or imprisoned for not exceeding five years;
b) 298A Penal Code for promoting enmity between different groups of religion or race and doing acts prejudicial to maintaining harmony by publishing an offensive Ramadan greeting which carries a minimum jail term of two years or a maximum of five years; and
c) Section 4(1) (c) of the 1948 Sedition Act for posting seditious material through the offensive greeting which carries fine maximum fine of RM5,000 ($2,065).
Posting pictures of pigging out on pig on Ramadan? Expect more than 10 years in jail in Malaysia.
[caption id="attachment_12708" align="alignleft" width="300"] The Malaysian bloggers are no strangers to controversy[/caption] Charged on July 18 for “seditious publication” after posting a picture on Facebook of dining on pork during Ramadan, Alvin Tan, 25, and Vivian Lee, 24, pleaded not guilty in a Kuala Lumpur district court in Muslim-majority Malaysia. The couple was denied bail and is set for their next court appearance on August 23. Tan and Lee, a couple, sparked outrage in Malaysia and Singapore before when they first started an erotic blog last year containing pictures of their lovemaking and close-ups of their genitals. Their intention was...
Charged on July 18 for “seditious publication” after posting a picture on Facebook of dining on pork during Ramadan, Alvin Tan, 25, and Vivian Lee, 24, pleaded not guilty in a Kuala Lumpur district court in Muslim-majority Malaysia. The couple was denied bail and is set for their next court appearance on August 23.
Tan and Lee, a couple, sparked outrage in Malaysia and Singapore before when they first started an erotic blog last year containing pictures of their lovemaking and close-ups of their genitals. Their intention was to destigmatise sex in Malaysia, where pornography is illegal. Tan used to be a law student at the National University of Singapore, but was stripped of his ASEAN scholarship after public outcry due to the X-rated postings.
But sedition isn’t the only charge that the couple faces. They’ve been fingered for causing disharmony on the grounds of religion and possessing or producing obscene materials, crimes that are punishable for up to five years in jail.
Even Prime Minister Najib Razak got his word in, saying: “The insolent and impudent act by the young couple who insulted Islam showed that freedom of expression and irresponsible opinion can jeopardise the community.”
Tan and Lee would later apologise in a video on YouTube, which sparked so much anger that their Facebook page has gone offline. “We are recording this video to ask for forgiveness for offending Muslims in this holy month of Ramadan,” the couple said.
Tan and Lee have been charged under:
a) Section 5 of the Film Censorship Act 2002 for publishing indecent photographs online between July 6 and 7. If found guilty they can be fined not less than RM10,000 ($3,130) or not more than RM50,000 ($15,654) and or imprisoned for not exceeding five years;
b) 298A Penal Code for promoting enmity between different groups of religion or race and doing acts prejudicial to maintaining harmony by publishing an offensive Ramadan greeting which carries a minimum jail term of two years or a maximum of five years; and
c) Section 4(1) (c) of the 1948 Sedition Act for posting seditious material through the offensive greeting which carries fine maximum fine of RM5,000 ($2,065).
Posting pictures of pigging out on pig on Ramadan? Expect more than 10 years in jail in Malaysia.
