Free speech, Arab style

Three separate stories within the past day:

A Tunisian military court sentenced blogger Yassine Ayari to a year in prison Tuesday for defaming the military, in a case that has been criticized by human rights groups.

The 33-year-old was arrested on December 25 on his return from Paris, following an initial three-year sentence handed down the previous month in his absence.

Ayari told the court before the new ruling that the charges were a "settling of scores against me for criticizing officers in the army."

He had accused officers and defense ministry officials of financial abuse.

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Kuwait has scrapped the commercial license of leading newspaper al-Watan, which has been highly critical of the government, citing its failure to comply with legally required financial terms.

Al-Watan, owned by a member of the al-Sabah ruling family, said on its website, which was still operating, that it had challenged the decision in court.

An urgent hearing had been set for Wednesday, it said.

The decision was issued late Monday by the ministry of commerce and industry, which said the newspaper had violated minimum capital requirements.

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Prominent Shiite activist Nabeel Rajab was Tuesday sentenced to six months in prison after a Bahraini court found him guilty of insulting public institutions in his tweets, a judicial source said.

But Rajab, who was released from custody one month after his arrest on October 1, could stay out of prison on bail if he pays 200 dinars (530 dollars), the source told AFP, citing the court ruling.

Yes, all in one day.