Tunisia releases blogger convicted of insulting Islam

Rasa - Prominent Tunisian blogger Jaber al-Merji was released after spending more than two years in prison for allegedly insulting Islam, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

News ID: 1415

Date: 17 October 2014 - 11:47

RNA - According to Spy Ghana, in 2012, a Tunisian court sentenced al-Merji to seven and a half years in prison on charges of posting “offensive” cartoons on the prophet Mohammed on Facebook and disturbing public order.

The verdict triggered calls from local and foreign rights groups for his release.

In March this year, interim President Moncef Marzouki issued a pardon for al-Merji.

The 31-year-old blogger was soon rearrested and given an eight-month jail sentence in a separate case related to attacking a public official.

“My client has already left prison under a (new) presidential after serving six out of the eight months,” al-Merji’s lawyer, Bushra Belhaj, said.

Marzouki issued a presidential pardon for more than 1,300 prisoners, Tunisian media reported on Wednesday.

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