People generally think of satire as a pretty weak weapon, but it still scares or at least annoys despots. The Art Newspaper reports:
"A court in Tehran has sentenced an Iranian artist to 12 years and nine months in prison for criticising the government and 'spreading propaganda against the system'. Atena Farghadani was arrested in August last year for drawing a cartoon that mocked members of parliament...Farghadani depicted Iranian parliamentarians as monkeys and goats..."
Her crime is insulting members of Parliament through her paintings, and insulting the Supreme Leader.
If insulting members of Parliament were a crime in the UK, half the country would be behind bars, not least the members of Parliament themselves.
If you live in a country where the person running things refers to himself as the Supreme Leader, it might be a good idea to start packing your bags.
