Tunisians jailed for posting 'Naked Muhammad' cartoons

international | rights, freedoms and repression | other press Saturday April 07, 2012 12:11 by Ali Baba - People B4 Prophet

The Arab Spring morphs into the Islamic Winter. This is supposed to be moderate muslims in control? Full article at link.

Officials in Tunisia say two bloggers have been jailed for seven years after posting cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad on the internet.

The Ministry of Justice said the men had put naked caricatures of the prophet on their Facebook accounts.

Activists have criticised the sentences and voiced fears that they could herald a clampdown on free speech.

A moderate Islamist government was elected following the fall of President Zine Abidine Ben Ali last year.

One of the men, Jabeur Mejri, is in jail while the second, Ghazi Beji, was sentenced in his absence and is being sought by the police.

"They were sentenced... for violation of morality, and disturbing public order," said Chokri Nefti, a justice ministry spokesman.