30 May 12 | Digital Freedom, Index Index, minipost, News and features
A Thai webmaster has been found guilty of not removing posts deemed insulting to the country’s monarchy quickly enough. The court showed leniency to Chiranuch Premchaiporn, who faced up to 20 years in prison under the country’s computer crime laws. She was fined 20,000 baht ($625), and given an eight month suspended sentence. Chiranuch was prosecuted after comments posted on her website Prachatai news breached Thailand’s lèse majesté laws. The judge said the verdict followed one particular post that was left on Parachatai for 20 days. Judge Kampol Rungrat said Chiranuch “did not perform her duty in a timely manner”.
23 May 12 | Azerbaijan News, Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
The whereabouts of two Azerbaijani writers remains unknown, after they were allegedly kidnapped in Iran. Farid Huseyn and Shahriyar Hajizade were reportedly set upon by eight men in civilian dress as their bus arrived from Tehran into Tabriz, in northwestern Iran on 2 May. Huseyn, from news website 525 and daily newspaper Kaspiy, and Hajizade, who writes about youth issues on social networks, visited Tehran for the presentation of an Iranian edition of Huseyn’s writings. It is believed the pair are being held by Iranian security forces, though no information has been provided by the authorities.
15 May 12 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
A sentence handed to an Iranian cartoonist may be quashed after the MP who brought the case withdrew his complaint. Mahmoud Shokraye faced 25 lashes after local conservative MP Ahmad Lotfi Ashtiani took offence at a caricature the artist had drawn. Shokraye was found guilty of insulting Ashtiani at a media law court in Arak last week. The sentence caused outcry internationally and within Iran, forcing the MP to withdraw his complaint.
15 May 12 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
An Iranian rapper has been issued with fatwas and faced death threats after releasing a controversial song. Shahin Najafi, an Iranian singer based in Germany, released a song containing references to one of the 12 Shia Muslim Imams. The song, which was posted on YouTube, offended some who claim it insults their beliefs, while others claim the song breaks taboos on expressing views about religious personalities. A religious Iranian website has offered a reward of $100,000 (£62,000) for anyone who kills the rapper.
