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Tim Nelson

YouTube video spoof lands Minn. man in Dubai prison

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A Minnesota man is being held in prison in Dubai for what his family says was a satirical video posted to YouTube.

Shezanne Cassim went to high school in Woodbury and attended the University of Minnesota. He was arrested in April for a spoof he put on YouTube last year.

He's being prosecuted under an Internet-related law that went into effect after he made the video and posted it, said Susan Burns, an attorney and friend of Cassim's family. They've been struggling to deal with the justice system in Dubai, Burns added.

"For a country that is holding itself out as a modern country, you would think that they would want to adhere to human rights laws," she said. "The way this case is progressing indicates the opposite."

Cassim is awaiting sentencing after a brief trial earlier this year, she added. His 19-minute, English-language mock documentary is still available on YouTube. Supporters say authorities in Dubai have only recently requested a translation of the video, after his trial was held.