April 7, 2009

Shoe-throwing Iraqi journalist's sentence reduced to one year

Per Al Jazeera, Muntadhar al-Zeidi, the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at former U.S. president George W. Bush, has had his prison sentence reduced to one year. A court official said the decision was made because al-Zeidi had no prior record.

Al-Zeidi's family called it "a victory for the Iraqi people," according to Al Jazeera. His lawyers have argued the move was one of freedom of expression rather than an assault. Al-Zeidi has become a folk hero in the Arab world, where Bush has been widely reviled for his U.S-led invasion of Iraq, the article reports.

Twitterers responded to the news.

  1. Megan Loper
    megloper (D.C./Jackson, Miss.) Iraqi shoe thrower gets reduced sentence. Let's have one last look for old times sake. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM3Z_Kskl_U
  2. wayne310
    wayne310 (Undisclosed) Shoe throwing trend on the rise, First Bush, then Chinese PM, Now India's home minister
  3. DinahLord
    DinahLord (Colorado) Iraq: Shoe thrower gets reduced sentence upon appeal.: Please! Will this guy's 15 minutes EVER be up? His shoe i.. http://tinyurl.com/dd2g9k


Many responses involved humor.


  1. Emma Kennedy
    EmmaK67 (London, U.K.) I'm glad the Iraq shoe thrower's had his sentence reduced but I think he should be released instantly and made king of the world
  2. seanbedlam
    seanbedlam (Melbourne, Australia) The Iraq Shoe Thrower's sentence has been reduced. Good news, but he should be released to unveil a shoe-chucking statue built in his honor.
  3. Packard Sonic
    Packard_Sonic (Weston, Wisc.) RT @newsticker: Iraqi shoe-thrower's prison sentence reduced - PRESS TV http://tinyurl.com/cfbmuf | Getting 2nd chance? I got extra shoe
  4. Kingpin Slim
    kingpinslim (Undisclosed) the Iraqi dude who threw the shoe at Bush got his time reduced from 3 years to 1 year justice is served!


Related Breaking Tweets article:
Iraqi journalist who threw shoes at Bush sentenced to three years, March 12


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