Earlier today, Amanah youth chief Hasbie Muda, Batu PKR youth chief Sabda Suluh Lestari Yahya and student activist Aliff Naif Mohd Fizam were charged in the Kuala Lumpur magistrates’ courts for failing to notify police over protest gatherings held in the city centre last month.

Suaram executive director Sevan Doraisamy said the charges against the trio infringed their right to freedom of assembly and did not bode well for Malaysia’s membership in the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which recently called for the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests.

“It is imperative that the government walk the talk by realising the commitment it is promising internationally,” he said in a statement.

Sevan claimed that the charges were only possible due to “feeble” amendments to the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, made in 2019 by the then Pakatan Harapan government.

He said the amendment that shortened the 10-day notice period on public gatherings to five days did not provide room for spontaneous assemblies, pointing out that public rallies were often spontaneous and done in reaction to current events.

“A notice period is acceptable for pre-planned rallies and gatherings as organisers would have ample time to coordinate and liaise with police.

“However, additional provisions must be made for rallies of a spontaneous nature, such as the protest against rising prices recently,” he said.

Sevan called for the Peaceful Assembly Act to be amended to ensure that it would not be abused.

“Suaram calls on the government to retract the charges laid against Hasbie, Sabda and Aliff, and to amend the Peaceful Assembly Act to ensure it is an Act that truly facilitates assembly rather than a political tool to stifle dissent,” he said.