Obscure Egyptian amateur poet jailed for three years for writing verse making jest of the oh so dignified Egyptian Sultan

Can you imagine the dour Egyptians ever joking about their esteemed President Husni Mubarak? Never.

As reported by the BBC, the Arab Network for Human Rights will take up the case of Munir Said Hanna, the unlucky poet. For a sampling of the extraordinary lengths that the calcified Egyptian regime (and other regimes) takes to stifle dissent, spend a few minutes perusing the Network.

Update: The Egyptian judiciary displays its integrity by overturning the verdict in the Hanna on the grounds that he was denied access to a lawyer.