25 March 2009
Two newspapers run by Malaysia's opposition parties have been suspended by the Home Ministry for three months, effective from Monday. The suspensions appear to be part of an ongoing government led crackdown on an array of perceived opponents, ranging from bloggers and people attending political rallies to opposition parliamentarians.
The newspapers Harakah, which is linked to the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), and Suara Keadilan of the Keadilan party, both had their permits suspended under the Printing Presses and Publications Act (1984).
The suspensions come just a day before the country's ruling United Malays Nation Organisation (UMNO) opened its annual general assembly. At this conference Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, is expected to be elected the President of UMNO, in advance of his planned accession next week as Prime Minister. A number of journalists representing at least six publications were denied media accreditation by UNMO to cover the party's conference.
By suspending the two publications, the Malaysian government is in effect taking a step towards silencing 37 percent of Malaysians who had voted for the opposition during the 2008 general elections.
Amnesty International has called on the Malaysian government and in particular, the incoming Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak not to criminalize freedom of expression.
Also on Monday, police fired teargas and chemical laced water on people, including children, without any warning during a gathering at Bukit Selambau, in the northern Malaysian state of Kedah. The constituents had come to hear opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim speak in the run-up to the by-election in that area. Around 31 persons were reported to have been arrested, but all were released the next day.
Earlier in March eight people were charged with criticizing Malaysia's Sultan of Perak on the internet.Businessman Fuad Ariff Abdul Rashid and his lawyer wife, Fatimah Maisurah Abdullah, were charged on 16 March with two counts of posting critical comments against the Sultan on the ruler's official website. This followed a nationwide swoop on bloggers on 13 March, which saw six others charged with similar offences. All were charged under the Communication and Media Act.
In addition opposition parliamentarian and lawyer Karpal Singh was charged with sedition for his threat to sue the Sultan of Perak over the political crisis in Perak State. Singh had claimed that the Sultan had breached the State’s constitution when directing the resignation of the Chief Minister.
Prominent blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, opposition leader Teresa Kok and journalist Tan Hoong Cheng were arrested in September 2008 under the country's Internal Security Act for allegedly being a threat to security, peace and public order.
All except Raja Petra were released soon afterwards. Raja Petra was subsequently released in November following a successful legal challenge which has now been the subject of an appeal by the government.
Memaparkan catatan dengan label ai malaysia. Papar semua catatan
Memaparkan catatan dengan label ai malaysia. Papar semua catatan
26 Mac 2009
30 Januari 2008
Amnesty International Statement on KLCC Protest
29 January 2008
Escalating threats to fundamental rights in Malaysia
Amnesty International Malaysia condemns the arrests of participants near the Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC) in last Saturday’s planned protest against price hikes organized by the Coalition Against Inflation (Protes). We also take great concern over the selective prosecution initiated against a journalist for allegedly obstructing a police officer from carrying out his duties.
Amnesty International views these actions as a clear abuse of power that disregards the right of the public to hold peaceful assemblies and their right not to be subjected to torture, or cruel and inhuman, or degrading treatment.
Furthermore, the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials spells out in Article 5 that no law enforcement official may inflict, instigate or tolerate any act of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment or invoke superior orders or exceptional circumstances, such as a threat to national security, to justify these actions.
We are also very concerned over the continuous act of obtaining blanket unilateral restraining orders against the general public as a means to crack down against public assemblies. Amnesty International Malaysia is of the view that the act of obtaining such restraining orders is a serious abuse of the legal process. This is because such applications are made and granted based solely on one party’s prejudice that undermines the subjected parties’ right to be heard in an open court.
The court order also gives the police unlimited powers and enables greater abuse of power as it subjects the general public to great risk of arbitrary arrest, detention as well as torture and other form of illtreatment, and selective prosecution. Amnesty International Malaysia views that the court order undermines the fundamental freedoms of assembly and movement guaranteed in our Federal Constitution.
We would also like to express serious concern over the arrest and detention of a journalist from the web newspaper Malaysiakini. com. Amnesty International Malaysia views his arrest as a serious failure to respect and recognize the professional function of a journalist in his or her cause of duty. We regret that the police decided to respond to queries by a journalist with a charge of obstructing a police officer from performing his duties.
We view that the charge against the Malaysiakini journalist is another act of intimidation to undermine media freedom and the rights and freedoms of journalists to report without intimidation and threats of arbitrary arrest, detention and selective prosecution.
In light of the fact that more demonstrations are likely in the lead up to elections expected early this year, Amnesty International Malaysia demands that the Government of Malaysia fully respect the fundamental rights of all people and implement the recommendations made by the Royal Commission on Police to amend Section 27 of the Police Act and to implement the draft 2005 Independent Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Bill immediately.
Released by
K.Shan
Campaigns Co-ordinator
Amnesty International Malaysia
Escalating threats to fundamental rights in Malaysia
Amnesty International Malaysia condemns the arrests of participants near the Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC) in last Saturday’s planned protest against price hikes organized by the Coalition Against Inflation (Protes). We also take great concern over the selective prosecution initiated against a journalist for allegedly obstructing a police officer from carrying out his duties.
Amnesty International views these actions as a clear abuse of power that disregards the right of the public to hold peaceful assemblies and their right not to be subjected to torture, or cruel and inhuman, or degrading treatment.
Furthermore, the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials spells out in Article 5 that no law enforcement official may inflict, instigate or tolerate any act of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment or invoke superior orders or exceptional circumstances, such as a threat to national security, to justify these actions.
We are also very concerned over the continuous act of obtaining blanket unilateral restraining orders against the general public as a means to crack down against public assemblies. Amnesty International Malaysia is of the view that the act of obtaining such restraining orders is a serious abuse of the legal process. This is because such applications are made and granted based solely on one party’s prejudice that undermines the subjected parties’ right to be heard in an open court.
The court order also gives the police unlimited powers and enables greater abuse of power as it subjects the general public to great risk of arbitrary arrest, detention as well as torture and other form of illtreatment, and selective prosecution. Amnesty International Malaysia views that the court order undermines the fundamental freedoms of assembly and movement guaranteed in our Federal Constitution.
We would also like to express serious concern over the arrest and detention of a journalist from the web newspaper Malaysiakini. com. Amnesty International Malaysia views his arrest as a serious failure to respect and recognize the professional function of a journalist in his or her cause of duty. We regret that the police decided to respond to queries by a journalist with a charge of obstructing a police officer from performing his duties.
We view that the charge against the Malaysiakini journalist is another act of intimidation to undermine media freedom and the rights and freedoms of journalists to report without intimidation and threats of arbitrary arrest, detention and selective prosecution.
In light of the fact that more demonstrations are likely in the lead up to elections expected early this year, Amnesty International Malaysia demands that the Government of Malaysia fully respect the fundamental rights of all people and implement the recommendations made by the Royal Commission on Police to amend Section 27 of the Police Act and to implement the draft 2005 Independent Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Bill immediately.
Released by
K.Shan
Campaigns Co-ordinator
Amnesty International Malaysia
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