Daily Archives: May 31, 2014

Turkish Twitter user sentenced to 15 months for ‘humiliating religious values’ because he had ‘Allah’ in his handle

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turkey-twitter-userA teacher in Turkey has been jailed for ‘humiliating religious values’ after he used the nickname ‘Allah C.C.’ on Twitter.

The user, named Ertan P, was accused by prosecutors in the eastern province of Muş of ‘writing harmful content’ for including the name of God and the Prophet.

The court rejected the defendant’s claim that his account was hacked and he was handed 15 months behind bars.

C.C. is the abbreviation of the honorific Arabic phrase ‘Celle Celaluhu’ which means, ‘[Allah’s] glory is so almighty.’ His handle, still live on Twitter, also included the Prophet’s name.

In March, Turkey’s prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan tried to ban Twitter altogether after some users posted links suggesting government corruption.

 

Mass migration one of the world’s ‘grave issues’ says Pope Francis who calls on governments to help them reach Europe and avoid any more tragedies

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pope FrancisThe pope has urged governments to help migrants reach Europe, to avoid more tragic shipwrecks in the Mediterranean.

In a letter to the International Labour Conference, Francis said that mass migration was one of the ‘grave issues’ confronting our world today.

The letter follows two tragic shipwrecks in the Mediterranean earlier this month. A boat carrying hundreds of migrants sunk 100 miles off the coast of Italy, killing at least 18 with dozens more unaccounted for. A few days earlier 40 people drowned when a boat carrying 130 people sunk off the coast of Libya.
More than 40,000 have made the crossing in recent months often on overcrowded and unseaworthy boats. Italy says at least half a million more are awaiting a passage to Europe, in camps run by criminal gangs, on the coastline of Libya.

Brad Pitt Attacker Banned From Hollywood Events

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vitalii-sediukA former Ukrainian journalist named Vitalii Sediuk has been banned from upcoming Hollywood events after he allegedly attacked Brad Pitt at the premiere of “Maleficent” on Wednesday, May 28. During his court appearance on Friday, Sediuk pleaded no contest to battery and unlawful activity at an event.

The red carpet prankster then was ordered to stay at least 500 yards away from Hollywood blocks where awards shows and movie premieres are usually held. He was ordered to stay away from Pitt and Angelina Jolie. He was additionally sentenced to 36 months probation and ordered to pay a $220 fine, undergo psychological counseling for one year and complete 20 days of community service.

Prior to the incident with Pitt, the 25-year-old man has targeted other stars at various events.

Ukrainian TV station 1+1 has confirmed that Sediuk was fired about three weeks prior to the “Maleficent” incident.