The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) today announced the release of a new guide in the series “A Guide to Publication Cases”, which is about the micro-blogging site “Twitter”. It clarifies the legal situation of what is being published on Twitter, which has widely spread in the Arab world to become one of the most frequent causes of prosecutions of its tweeps. This is not only because of writing or posting news on it, but the matter reaches the trial of its users due to re-tweeting or favoriting tweets.
“Twitter and Law” guide addresses the legal situation towards Twitterers’ different activities on the site, and in what cases publishing can be considered as illegal or legal; confirming when criminal prosecution or imprisonment in publication cases is inadmissible or not.
The 18 pages pocket-size handbook includes a table of the most common tasks, functions, and definitions used in Twitter; such as tweeting, re-tweeting, favoriting, and direct message,,etc. This is in addition to the legal situation towards each of these activities or uses.
“Twitter and Law” guide is the seventh legal manual of “Guide to Publication Cases” series that ANHRI release in support of freedom of expression along with press freedom. It explains what the writer, journalist, or activist does on social networking websites and the Internet, besides how he can defend himself in case he is prosecuted and doesn’t have a lawyer with him. The guide also shows how Twitter’s users can avoid facing publication cases; through illustrating the legal situation and giving tips that could help in limiting the punishment of opinion makers.