The saga of the Japanese woman and her vagina selfie for 3D printing purposes continues!
Although released from police custody, it is still unknown whether she will face criminal charges for her her profile arrests for “distributing data that could create an obscene shape through a 3D printer”.
If found guilty, she could face up to two years of jail time or a fine of up to 2.5 million yen
A Tokyo-based artist known for her genital-inspired works has been released from police custody following her arrest on obscenity charges, her lawyer has said, in a case that triggered accusations of a clampdown on freedom of expression in Japan.
Megumi Igarashi, 42, also known as Rokudenashiko, which roughly translates as “bastard kid”, was arrested on Saturday for distributing data that allowed recipients to make 3D prints of her vagina.
“She was released today,” said her lawyer, Kazuyuki Minami, adding that Igarashi and her legal team were due to hold a press conference later on Friday.
It was not immediately clear if the artist would face criminal charges.
Igarashi had been trying to raise funds online to pay for the construction of a kayak, using a 3D printer, modelled on the shape of her genitals.
Her supporters said they were shocked by what they described as the police’s unusually broad use of Japan’s obscenity laws. Despite its pornography industry, Japan still forbids the depiction of actual genitalia.
The artist was arrested for “distributing data that could create an obscene shape through a 3D printer”, a police spokesman told AFP.
Before her arrest, Igarashi had collected about 1m yen (£5,770) through a crowd-funding website.
In exchange for donations, she supplied data to supporters that would let them create 3D prints of her genitals.
The artist’s arrest triggered protest among her fans and supporters, who started an online petition to demand her immediate release. If convicted, Igarashi could be jailed up to two years or fined up 2.5m yen, according to her lawyer.
References:
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