Fergie's Tech Blog

Iraq: Kurdish-Born Austrian Jailed for Online 'Defamation'

Via Reporters sans Frontières.

Austrian national of Kurdish origin, Kamal Sayid Qadir, who was arrested five months ago for posting “defamatory” articles about the authorities in Iraqi Kurdistan, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.

At an earlier hearing he had been handed down a sentence, since cancelled, of 30 years imprisonment on exactly the same charge.

Reporters Without Borders said the conviction was contrary to international standards in freedom of expression cases. “Any prison sentence for an offence of opinion is unacceptable, even in cases of insult or defamation,” the press freedom organisation said.

posted by Fergie @ 3/28/2006 08:11:00 AM