Curtailing Free Expression, Opinion and Information Online in Southeast Asia Case of Shahiransheriffuddin In July 2017, Shahiransheriffuddin bin Shahrani Muhammad, a government employee, was charged under section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act for an alleged seditious publication following a post he had made on his Facebook account questioning a Halal certification policy by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and its implications on small businesses in Brunei.285 Shahiran was thereafter reportedly taken by men to the Ministry of Religious Affairs for two days of investigation without access to legal counsel, before being charged under section 230 of Brunei’s Syariah Penal Code with “insulting a member of the Muslim Council” and “questioning the rulings of the Muslim Council” – charges which remain unconfirmed as he was reportedly not provided with a copy of the charges against him despite requests for them.286 Shahiran faces up to two years’ imprisonment and a B$5,000 fine under the Sedition Act, and up to 9 years’ imprisonment and B$16,000 in fines under the Syariah charges.287 In October 2018, Shahiran fled to Canada, seeking asylum.288 Reported case of targeting on Whatsapp In February 2019, an unnamed woman was detained and questioned by the Brunei police under section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act for several Whatsapp messages she had allegedly sent criticizing the police. A statement by the Brunei police provided no further information on her case, but reiterated the seriousness of an offence of making statements in violation of the sedition law.289 285 Fadley Faisal, ‘Government employee charged with sedition’, Borneo Bulletin, 28 July 2017, Available at: https://borneobulletin.com.bn/government-employee-charged-sedition/ 286 The Brunei Project, Facebook post of 16 November 2018, Available at: https://es-la.facebook. com/thebruneiproject/posts/2023697287920428?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARAL4o3G9C3IF1wnocRZnCKAHi4zH71OrLVnCMXhxG3ZQAuko4z1-romQTvx13wp40CmH2TF_wZuOP8ABX7lw6yEgXvtYERjBzkUcJUCiC0Lamt2pPtN3M3yy_1HBiUPvHUTFU17MEbCDL-bH7d4GpN1XvElRinPqD3JQV_zwrP9OpjF1HyijIlE7Nci7xBn21aHj9Yr-B-9w8x-6ejJSMvMJvPQ4tkGFnkgw7PmHzLsPl1antrln5J48CpoC2CkN-dLvXsClLM-xl_Wz0mQDwEWSLWqOC4BjCnoDBQF07w8YEyEdFKJMjW2Oo76UhXZ0qcGMfHwiFp3laFO8LInAU8B&__tn__=-R; Matthew Woolfe, ‘Brunei’s Tightening Grip on Freedom of Expression’, New Naratif, 7 June 2019 (‘Woolfe, 7 June 2019’) Available at: https://newnaratif. com/journalism/bruneis-tightening-grip-on-freedom-of-expression/share/xuna/4de7729ea5daf28540ee79b3dca73d19/ 287 Ibid. 288 CBC Radio, ‘Gay asylum seeker in Vancouver fears he would be stoned to death in Brunei’, 3 April 2019, [Transcript] Available at: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-wednesdayedition-1.5082934/gay-asylum-seeker-in-vancouver-fears-he-would-be-stoned-to-death-inbrunei-1.5082938 289 [Bahasa Melayu] Pasukan Polis Diraja Brunei, ‘PPDB tegas terhadap maklumat tular’, 27 Februari 2019, Available at: https://imgur.com/pMC4zlc; Woolfe, 7 June 2019. 81