Individuals such as PKR Sri Muda assemblyman Shuhaimi Shafiei and activist Safwan Anang were proof of hope for freedom of expression, Amnesty International Malaysia executive director Shamini Darshni said after the launch of the Amnesty International Report 2016/2017 today.
PKR’s Shuhaimi had been charged with sedition in 2011, based on a blog post on the appointment of then Selangor state secretary Mohd Khusrin Munawi.
Last November, he won his appeal declaring that Section 3(3) of the Sedition Act, which deals with the element of intention, was unconstitutional.
Similarly, student activist Safwan was freed in December of a sedition charge where he had allegedly urged the public to topple the government through street protests three years ago.
But despite these positive developments amid what has been perceived as a crackdown on freedom of speech last year, Shamini voiced concern that the colonial legislation continued to exist.
“At the same time, we also saw activists Hishamudin Rais, Adam Adli and Fakhrulrazi Mohd Mokhtar getting convicted for sedition last year,” she said.
Hishamudin and Adam were fined RM5,000 for making seditious statements at a forum four years ago, while Fakhrulrazi was jailed eight months for uttering seditious statements at a rally.
Sharmini said the human rights group also noted the abuse of laws such as the Security Offences (Security Measures) Act, also known as Sosma.
“Bersih 2.0 chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah was detained under Sosma for 11 days.
“Not forgetting the 13 people who were said to have been tortured while in Sosma detention.”
Shamini said Amnesty would not stop speaking up against violations of human rights in Malaysia.
“We have to keep up in challenging the government to make reforms in the country.
“If the prime minister can talk about Rohingya rights, why can’t he also speak up on what is going on here?”