The Centre for Independent Journalism is concerned about the welfare of at least 23 people, including a 13 years old boy, arrested at the Malaysian Parliament Tuesday 11 December.
The 23 were part of a delegation from the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (BERSIH), concerned at a proposed Constitutional amendment to extend the tenure of the Chairman of the Election Commission.
Police and government hysteria over peaceful assembly has reached new heights. From as early as 8.30am the police had mounted roadblocks across the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. The first arrests happened shortly after 10.00am, and by 11.00am 20 people had been arrested.
As the participants were leaving at 1.30pm, six others were arrested, including Gayathry Venkiteswaran, executive director of Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ); Yap Swee Seng executive director of human rights group SUARAM; Wong Chin Huat, chair of the Writers Alliance for Writers Independence (WAMI). Mien Lor, programme officer of Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat, KOMAS, and Dr. Dzulkifli Ahmad from PAS.
Arrested earlier were S Arutchelvan, secretary general of the Malaysian Socialist Party (PSM); Mohd Nasir Hashim, PSM president; S. Sivarajan PSM central committee member; Tian Chua Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) information chief; Khalid Ibrahim PKR secretary general; Dr Hatta Ramli, Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS)'s treasurer; Nuridah Mohd Salleh PAS women's chief; and Dr. Lo' Lo' Ghazali PAS central committee member. All those arrested have been taken to the Police Contingent Headquarter in the capital city.
CIJ strongly condemns this continuation of the week's crackdown on peaceful assembly.
These are the latest arrests in increasingly worrying trend of denying citizens' right to freedom of assembly, guaranteed under Article 10 of Malaysia's Federal Constitution. This week alone 21 people were arrested on Sunday in connection with peaceful assemblies, nine for participating in a march for International Human Rights Day. The other 12 were arrested in connection with two assemblies, one held at Batu Burok Terengganu on 8 September, where police fired live bullets at the crowd, injuring two people.
Earlier on Tuesday, police arrested P.Uthayakumar, an organizer of a rally held on 25 November. Yesterday, they charged Tian Chua and N Gobalakrishnan from PKR and Mohamad Sabu from PAS for organising a rally for Bersih on 10 November.
CIJ is appalled that the government is violating its promises to increase openness and accountability, rather than addressing the legitimate grievances of the people. We urge the police to immediately release without charge all those arrested and call for the police and the government to immediately release the participants of the assembly. Any violation of fundamental liberties increases the people's distrust of the government and harms Malaysia's international standing and its internal stability.
The Centre for Independent Journalism, Malaysia (CIJ) aspires for a society that is democratic, just and free, where all people enjoy free media and the freedom to express, seek, and impart information.
Sonia Randhawa
Director, Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)
11th December 2007
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