Student activist Adam Adli Abdul Halim was found guilty of sedition and sentenced to a year in prison by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, for a speech he delivered last year calling for a change in government through undemocratic means.
He was charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948 on May 23 for his remarks on May 13 last year allegedly urging Malaysians to overthrow the government through street protests during a forum held after the 13th General Elections.
Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948 carries a maximum jail term of three years, a maximum fine of RM5,000, or both.
Adam was charged with the offence along with five others who also spoke at the same forum, including politicians Chua Tian Chang, Tamrin Ghafar, and activists Hishamuddin Rais, Haris Ibrahim, and Muhammad Safwan Anang.
The Malay Mail‘s Ida Lim reports that on September 5, Safwan was sentenced to 10 months in prison for sedition for delivering a speech with seditiouos tendency at the same forum.
On Twitter following the sentencing, Adam seemed to be in positive spirits, posting updates and retweeting encouraging messages from well-wishers, always signing of his tweets with the #MansuhAktaHasutan (“Abolish the Sedition Act”) hashtag:
