Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an appeal from SUARAM, a human rights NGO, on a series of violent arrests which have taken place at a rally in Kuala Lumpur, protesting against the Internal Security Act. The act allows for the arrest of any person without the need for trial in certain circumstances. The AHRC joins the call for the protection of free expression and assembly in Malaysia, and for the humane treatment of those arrested.
For more information, please go to: www.suaram.net
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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MALAYSIA: 438 individuals arrested at the anti-ISA rally in KL
According to CPO KL, DCP Datuk Muhammad Sabtu Osman, the police have arrested 438 people at the anti-ISA rally in KL today and most of them are detained at Markas Pasukan Gerakan Am Cheras and a small group detained in Bukit Jalil Police Station.
From 2.30pm onwards, the police have been shooting tear gas and spraying chemical-laced water cannons towards the 10,000-strong crowd near Sogo shopping complex in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman to force them to disperse.
Another 2,000-strong crowd that marched from Masjid Negara to Pasar Seni were surrounded by FRU and police at Dataran Merdeka. Tear gas and chemical-laced water cannons were also used during aggressive attempts at dispersing the crowd.
Those arrested include:
Sivarasa Rasiah (Member of Parliament of Subang), arrested near Sogo
Shahrul Iman Mohd Salleh, arrested at KL Sentral
Ikhwan Ikram, arrested at KL Sentral
Ahmad Adbul Wahab Abdul Rahman, arrested at KL Sentral
Kamal Nadhir Kadeni, arrested at KL Sentral
Abu Ubaidah Jalaluddin, arrested at KL Sentral
Mohammad Sholihin Mat Salleh, arrested at KL Sentral
Faizuddin Hazman Kadine, arrested at KL Sentral
Saad Musa, arrested at KL Sentral
Mohammad Helmi Hassan, arrested at KL Sentral
Mohammad Hafizuddin Mohd Ghazali, arrested at KL Sentral
Mohd Lokman Ahmad Mawi, arrested at KL Sentral
Mohd Fadzil Jan Jam, arrested at KL Sentral
Shamsul Anuar Nordin, arrested at KL Sentral
Mohd Marwan bin Husin, arrested at Masjid Negara
Aly Idham bin Alykallam, arrested at Masjid Negara
Bostaman Jumat bin Jaldi, arrested at Masjid Negara
Mohd Zulhilmi bin Mat Zin, arrested at Masjid Negara
Zulhelmi, arrested at Masjid Negara
Aiman Athirah Al Jundi, arrested in front of Pertama Kompleks
Norlaila Othman, arrested in front of Pertama Kompleks
Suhaib Mat Sah, arrested in front of Pertama Kompleks
Narshita Md Noor, arrested in front of Pertama Kompleks
Narshita Md Noors child (13years old), arrested in front of Pertama Kompleks
Salmah Ismail, arrested in front of Pertama Kompleks
Hayati Abdul Samad, arrested in front of Pertama Kompleks
Bhari, arrested in front of Pertama Kompleks
Vincent Chun Weng Sum (41) arrested at Bandaraya LRT station
Nurhazwani bt Hamid (20) arrested at Pasar Seni
Sitti Kasuma bt Rojan (22) arrested at Pasar Seni
Roslee Mohd Shariff (35) arrested at Bandaraya LRT station
Razalie, arrested at Masjid Negara
Ali Kasim, arrested at Masjid Negara
Abdul Majid, arrested at Masjid Negara
SUARAM condemns the use of tear gas and chemical-laced water cannons against the protesters. The police also used excessive and violent force against the protesters. The traffic in KL is in total lock down because of police roadblocks that are used to screen for protesters and to deny their right to assembly and freedom of expression which are guaranteed under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Federal Constitution of Malaysia.
Even with the crackdown of the police on this Anti-ISA rally, it is still a massive success as around 20,000 people have attended and voiced out their dissatisfaction on Najib Razaks government, and that the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) should not just be reviewed, but abolished.
We demand that the police release all arrested individuals immediately and unconditionally. We also demand that the police stop harassing the Malaysian people from exercising their rights to assembly and stop the assault on freedom of expression.
Released by, Wong Chai Yi, Coordinator
Urgent action needed:
Please write protest letters to the government and the police to express your strongest condemnation of the arrests and the ongoing denial of rights of expression. Please also demand the Malaysian government for the immediate and unconditional release the three activists.
Your protest letters should be sent to:
1. OCPD Asst Comm Ahmad Amir Mohd Hashim
IPD Cheras
Polis Diraja Malaysia
56100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel : +603-92842222, 03-92843403, 03-92845398
Fax : +603-92879479
2. Inspector-General of Police
Tan Sri Musa Hassan
Ibu Pejabat Polis Diraja Malaysia,
50560 Bukit Aman,
Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia .
Tel: +603 2262 6015
Fax: +603 2272 5613
3. Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak,
Prime Minister of Malaysia,
Prime Minister’s Office,
Main Block, Perdana Putra Building ,
Federal Government Administrative Centre,
62502 Putrajaya , MALAYSIA
Tel : +603-8888 8000
Fax : +603-8888 3444
E-Mail: ppm@pmo.gov. my
SAMPLE LETTER
(Letterhead of your organization)
Prime Minister,
Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak,
Prime Minister’s Office,
Main Block, Perdana Putra Building ,
Federal Government Administrative Centre,
62502 Putrajaya , MALAYSIA
Tel : 603-8888 8000
Fax : 603-8888 3444
E-Mail: ppm@pmo.gov. my
Dear Sir,
Re: Release the Individuals Arrested During Anti-ISA Rally
I am writing to you, once again, to express my outrage and my strongest condemnation over your governments ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression.
I am appalled by your government and the polices latest actions and view this as yet another attempt by your government to intimidate Malaysian citizens from exercising their freedom to express their views.
I demand that the 300 individuals should be released immediately and unconditionally. I further demand that your government stops the assault on freedom of expression.
I strongly urge you, once again, to stop bringing shame to Malaysia. I would like to remind you that freedom of expression and assembly is guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as the Federal Constitution of Malaysia.
Yours sincerely,
(Name)
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
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