Taiwanese law students risk jail over facebook 'vote sale'

Two Taiwanese college students have been charged with violating election laws Wednesday after allegedly trying to sell their votes for an upcoming election on the social network website facebook.

REUTERS/Nicky Loh

Voters in Taiwan go to the polls next weekend to elect mayors and councillors.

If the law students are found guilty they could face a prison term of up to three years.

They defended themselves by saying that they are aware vote-buying is illegal and were joking when they offered to sell their votes for 13 euros.

Critics say that vote-buying is a problem in the country. Prosecutors say they are investigating about 160 alleged cases in Taipei city and county alone.