Malaysia imprisons Danish man for fake news hinh anh 1Salah Salem Saleh Sulaiman (second, right) became the first person to be convicted under Malaysia’s new anti-fake news law (Photo: AP)

Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysia on April 30 sentenced a Danish man a one-week jail term for breaking its law against “fake news”.

Salah Salem Saleh Sulaiman, a 46-year-old man of Yemeni descent, became the first person to be convicted under Malaysia’s new anti-fake news law.

The Danish man admitted making and posting on YouTube a video accusing emergency services of slow response after a Palestinian Hamas member was shot down in Kuala Lumpur.

He was sentenced to a week jail from the date of his arrest on April 23 and fined 10,000 RM (2,600 USD).

If he cannot pay the fine, then he will have to serve another month in jail, according to the judge.

Sulaiman had been on a 10-day visit to Malaysia when the crime was committed.

The Anti-Fake News Act, which came into force in April, provides for stiff punishments of up to six years in prison and a maximum fine of 500,000 RM.-VNA
VNA