Thursday, January 5, 2012

[CNN] Bangladesh convicts teacher for Facebook post about prime minister

Dhaka, Bangladesh (CNN) -- A Bangladeshi university teacher was convicted Wednesday of wishing death to the prime minister on his Facebook wall.
The Bangladesh High Court handed down a six-month sentence to M Ruhul Amin on a contempt charge, saying he failed to comply with a court order after his remarks on Facebook, said deputy attorney general ABM Altaf Hossain.
Amin, who teaches Information Technology at Jahangirnagar University and is in Australia on a study leave, was not available for comment.
Hossain said Amin was tried in absentia.
After the August road accident death of Tareq Masud, a leading filmmaker in Bangladesh, Amin used his Facebook status to blame the government's negligence for many deaths in road accidents. He also wished death to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the court said.
Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Justice Jahangir Hossain asked the government to take measures to bring Amin back from Australia so he can be jailed.
The court also asked the university to take action against Amin.
Bangladesh state transport authorities estimate up to 4,000 people every year die in road accidents. Independent researchers say they believe the actual number of deaths is much higher.

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/04/world/asia/bangladesh-facebook-conviction/index.html?eref=edition_asia

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