Cartoonist Zunar arrested, again

Cartoonist Zunar was arrested merely 30 minutes after he pleaded not guilty to nine sedition charges, Malaysiakini reported.

The 52-year-old political cartoonist, whose real name is Zulkiflee SM Anwarul Haque was picked up by police soon after he posted bail for those charges at the Sessions Court here today.

Zunar was detained in connection with a post on his Facebook post.

Earlier, Zunar pleaded not guilty to all nine sedition charges over his tweets on Opposition de facto leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy conviction on February 10.

He pleaded not guilty for tweeting seditious remarks on the Federal Court’s February 10 ruling which sentenced Anwar to a five-year prison for sodomising his ex-personal aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhary in 2008.

Judge Zainol Rashid Hussain allowed RM2,500 bail - for each charge - in one surety for all nine charges and fixed May 20 for mention.

If convicted, Zunar who was represented by counsel Latheefa Koya, can be jailed up to 43 years under Section 4 (1)(B) of the Sedition Act 1948.

Zunar was arrested at his residence on March 11. His arrest drew brickbats and criticisms from Pakatan Rakyat citing the arrest an infringement on civil liberties and free expression.