KUALA LUMPUR: Political activist Fahmi Reza (pic) has claimed trial at a Sessions Court here to a charge of posting offensive content relating to Covid-19 on his Twitter account.

       The 44-year-old, whose full name is Mohd Fahmi Reza Mohd Zarin, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out to him before Sessions Court judge Sabariah Othman yesterday.

       According to the charge sheet, Fahmi allegedly posted the offensive content with intent to annoy others on the Twitter account named “Fahmi Reza” or @kuasasiswa at 3.02pm on Feb 10, 2021.

       The content was then read at the Health Ministry’s corporate communications head office in Putrajaya at 4pm on Feb 11, 2021.

       Fahmi Reza was charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Com-munications and Multimedia Act 1998. He faces a fine of up to RM50,000 or up to one year imprisonment or both and can be fined RM1,000 for each day the offence is continued after conviction.

       Deputy public prosecutor Najihah Farhana Che Awang offered bail at RM10,000.

       However, Lawyer Rajsurian Pillai who represented Fahmi Reza, asked for a lower amount.

       “My client earns about RM3,000 monthly and he also needs to support his parents,” Rajsurian said.

       The court fixed bail at RM5,000 in one surety. The case is set for mention on March 30.

       Earlier, Fahmi Reza arrived at the court complex in an all black ensemble with his trademark beret.

       He stopped to pose for media photographers while holding a framed photo of the satirical content depicting former health minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, the subject of his criminal charge.

       In a Twitter post on Feb 7, Fahmi Reza said he would fight the charge in court because “satire is not a crime”.

       On May 6, last year, Fahmi Reza was questioned at the Kajang police headquarters over the satirical content.