Court upholds Uthayakumar’s sedition conviction, jail term reduced

The Court of Appeal today upheld human rights activist P. Uthayakumar’s (pic) sedition conviction but reduced his jail sentence to 24 months.

A three-man bench chaired by Datuk Aziah Ali said the court found no merit to disturb the conviction by the Sessions Court, which found Uthayakumar guilty of publishing seditious remarks  in a website seven years ago.

"However, the sentence of 30 months by the trial court is excessive and we vary it to 24 months," she said in dismissing Uthayakumar’s appeal against conviction.

Uthayakumar, who has been in prison since June 5 last year, is expected to be freed on October 3, after one-third remission of his jail term.

Uthayakumar said this was the price he had to pay for his human rights struggle before he was whisked away prison wardens.

MORE TO COME.

- TMI