{
  "id": 15575279,
  "title": "Papagomo walks free after acquittal on sedition charge over Facebook remarks",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/papagomo-walks-free-after-acquittal-on-sedition-charge-over-facebook",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-19T07:12:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/10/19/papagomo-walks-free-after-acquittal-on-sedition-charge-over-facebook-remarks/239731"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On October 19, social media blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, also known as Papagomo, was acquitted and discharged by the Klang Sessions Court of a sedition charge. The decision came after the prosecution failed to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. Papagomo's lawyer, Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, told Bernama that the court found reasonable doubt had been successfully raised by the defense during the trial. He was the only witness for the defense, while Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P. Kunyalam handled the prosecution. The Kuala Lumpur High Court had ordered Papagomo to enter his defense on September 3, reversing a previous acquittal from September 2023. In January 2024, he pleaded not guilty to the charge of making seditious remarks on Facebook, accusing the government of being pro-Israel and pro-Western. The sedition charge under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948 carries a maximum penalty of three years in jail, a RM5,000 fine, or both upon conviction.",
  "summary": "SHAH ALAM, Oct 19 — Blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, better known as Papagomo, was acquitted and discharged by...",
  "key_points": [
    "Papagomo acquitted and discharged on sedition charge on October 19",
    "Prosecution failed to prove case beyond reasonable doubt",
    "Maximum penalty for sedition charge is three years jail or RM5,000 fine"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The acquittal marks a significant setback for the prosecution's ability to secure convictions under the Sedition Act when defense witnesses successfully introduce reasonable doubt regarding social media commentary.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Court acquits Papagomo over alleged seditious remarks",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/court-acquits-papagomo-over-alleged-seditious-remarks",
        "published": "2026-10-19T02:36:58.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malaysiakini",
        "title": "Papagomo freed of sedition charge over Facebook remarks",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/papagomo-freed-of-sedition-charge-over-facebook-remarks",
        "published": "2026-10-19T07:07:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Papagomo walks free after acquittal on sedition charge over Facebook remarks",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/papagomo-walks-free-after-acquittal-on-sedition-charge-over-facebook-15580130",
        "published": "2026-10-19T07:12:08.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}