Student arrested in India for facebook post against Uttar Pradesh minister

The 19-year old school student was ssent on a 14-day judicial remand

A teenaged school student has been arrested and sent on 14-day remand by the court in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh after he posted a comment on Facebook critical of state minister Azam Khan.

Gulrez Khan, the 19-year old student of Class XI from Barielly district had been reported to the police by an aide of Khan for allegedly posting a comment which was "controversial and inflammatory". The aide added that comment had "hurt the feelings of both Hindus and Muslims and maligns Khan's image."

The teenager was arrested by the police under Section 66(A) of the Indian Information Technology Act on Monday.

Section 66 (A) prohibits the sending of information of a “grossly offensive” or “menacing” nature through computers and communication devices carrying a sentence of up to three years. It has been used by several states to arrest people over posts on social media that officials claimed were "seditious"," communally sensitive” or abusive, despite several directives from the Supreme Court about the potential abuse  of the provision.

Following his arrest he was produced in court which sent him on judicial remand for 14 days.

The teenager's arrest sparked outrage in India with many taking to the internet to lodge their protest.

This article originally appeared on the BBC