American gets 1-year prison sentence for parody video

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (CNN) -- Shezanne Cassim, the American jailed in the United Arab Emirates after posting a video parody, was sentenced Monday to one year in prison and a fine of 10,000 UAE dirhams (approximately $2,700).

The young American living in the UAE has been imprisoned since April, his family says, for posting what was intended to be a funny video on the Internet.

He was accused of defaming the UAE's image abroad, according to The National, the country's main English-language newspaper.

The video in question is a 19-minute short that pokes fun at a clique of Dubai teens who are influenced by hip-hop culture. In the 1990s, the label "Satwa G" was coined for a group of suburban teens who were known to talk tougher than they really were.

The video depicts a look at a "combat school" in the suburb of Satwa, where these "gangsters" are trained. The training includes how to throw sandals at targets, using clothing accessories as whips, and how to call on the phone for backup.

American gets 1-year prison sentence for parody video - CNN.com

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