Malaysian artist faces prison for clowning with the PM's image

Published by: Jarni Blakkarly / RMIT | 2-Sep-2016
Malaysian graphic designer Fahmi Reza is facing 2 years in prison after he was charged for breaching the country's multimedia laws when he posted a caricature of Malaysia's Prime Minister as a clown. The image went viral leading to the artist being placed under surveillance and eventually charged.
Reza told the BBC World Service the internet was opening new avenues for creative forms of political dissent in Malaysia's highly censored media environment, however it also clearly has it's risks for artists. Jarni Blakkarly complied this story for the BBC World Service's The Cultural Frontline program.

(Listen from the 15:30 mark on the link) http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0405c50 @jarniblakkarly

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