Haris Ibrahim sentenced to eight months jail for sedition

KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition activist Haris Ibrahim was sentenced to eight months in jail by the Sessions Court today for uttering seditious remarks at a public forum in 2013.
In his judgement, Sessions Judge Shamsudin Abdullah said Haris had crossed the "legal boundaries" when he made seditious remarks in a public forum at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall along Jalan Maharaja Lela on May 13, 2013 after the 13th General Election.
Haris was found guilty under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act, which carries a jail term of up to three years, or a fine not exceeding RM5,000.
Shamsudin however granted the defence's application for a stay of execution pending appeal, but increased the quantum of bail from RM5,000 to RM10,000 with one surety.
During mitigation, Haris' counsel Gobind Singh Deo asked for a lighter sentence, adding that this was his client's first offence.
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Ilmami Ahmad called for a harsher sentence, adding that the offence committed was a matter of public interest.
Haris who paid the bail, told the media outside the courtroom that he would appeal against both the decision and sentencing.