Fouad Mourtada’s cheeky prank on Facebook, where he pretended to be Moroccan Prince Mourlay Rachid, answered the question of what such chicanery is worth: three years in jail and a $1,300 fine.

The sentence brought plenty of criticism to Casablanca. Fortunately for Mourtada, King Mohammed VI made Mourtada one of 566 royal pardons and freed him from prison, according to CNN.

Mourtada’s gag would have been unnoticed in many parts of the world. The mind boggles at the idea of every President Bush parody site publisher being imprisoned for a similar offense, for example.

The Telegraph cited Mourtada’s testimony that he intended no harm toward the prince. “I admire him, I like him a lot and I have never caused him any wrong, it was just a joke. I am innocent,” he said at his trial.

Reporters Without Borders criticized the February 22 sentencing, and expressed relief at the royal pardon. “Nonetheless, we regret that his release is the result of a royal pardon rather than a fair verdict and sentence. Moroccan bloggers will not be able to forget his imprisonment when they compose their blog entries,” the group said.