Aseem Trivedi, Indian cartoonist charged with sedition, is released on bail
Indian students shout anti-corruption slogans in support of veteran Indian social activist, Anna Hazare at a garden in Amritsar on April 8, 2011. Indian social activist, Anna Hazare, who entered the fouth day of his indefinite hunger strike, has vowed to keep fasting to push for changes to a draft bill facilitating corruption complaints against the prime minister and cabinet. Hazare complained that the draft of the Lokpal (Ombudsman) Bill was formulated without the input of civil society groups and had been watered down by ministers.
Indian cartoonist Aseem Trivedi, charged with sedition for political images critical of the government, was released on bail early Wednesday.
If convicted, CNN says, Trivedi could spend the rest of life in jail. Some of his images can be found here.
Trivedi originally said he would not accept bail and demanded the government drop the charges. However, on Wednesday, Trivedi agreed to cooperate.
After his release Trivedi called for the repeal of the sedition law being used against him.
"I will cooperate in court cases," he said. "Section 124 (A) should be removed from the Indian Constitution."
He added, "Although I'm free, the battle will continue. Whenever there is an infringement of legal rights, our fight will continue," Trivedi told reporters.
Trivedi was arrested on Sunday after complaints were brought against him on grounds that his cartoons insulted India.
CNN puts the Trivedi case in a larger, cultural context.
Here's the video:
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