article_snippet.sent: A Japanese artist charged with obscenity for distributing plans of how to build a kayak shaped like Megumi Igarashi vagina denied the charges when Megumi Igarashi appeared in court on Wednesday.
article_snippet.sent: Megumi Igarashi could face up to two years in jail if convicted of obscenity .
article_snippet.sent: Megumi Igarashi was first arrested in July, but was freed several days later following a legal appeal and after thousands of people signed a petition demanding Megumi Igarashi release.
article_snippet.sent: But Tokyo police arrested Megumi Igarashi again in December, on three counts of distributing 'obscene' data -- namely CD-ROMs containing computer code for a 3D printer that would allow users to make copies of the vagina-shaped kayak.
article_snippet.sent: Megumi Igarashi was held in custody for around a month before being granted bail. '
article_snippet.sent: Some people say my works are cheap and not even art, but that should not justify police moves to arrest me,' Megumi Igarashi said.
article_snippet.sent: One of Megumi Igarashi lawyers, Takashi Yamaguchi, said Megumi Igarashi believes 'it is extremely outrageous that anybody can be arrested and forced to stand before judges because of making artworks or working as an artist.'
article_snippet.sent: If convicted of distributing or possessing obscene materials for the purpose of selling, Megumi Igarashi could face up to two years in jail and/or a fine of as much as 2.5 million yen ($21,000).