KUALA LUMPUR: Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB) wants the Home Ministry to explain how the reference of God as ‘Allah’ by non Muslims could cause confusion and threaten public order in the country. The issue was stated in the affidavit-in-support filed by its president Datuk Jerry W.A Dusing @ Jerry W. Patel on Dec 8, 2016…
KUALA LUMPUR: Lawmakers spent more than nine hours in gruelling debates over the Sexual Offences against Children Bill 2017. The debate on the Bill, which was at the committee stage last night, will continue today. The Bill was scrutinised by MPs who raised several questions on the working of the proposed law. Their concerns included…
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s national human rights panel on Tuesday said it was disturbed by more than 600 deaths at immigration detention centers and prisons over the last two years, and called for immediate reform. In its 2016 annual report, the panel, known by its Malay acronym, Suhakam, said there were more than 100 deaths in…
Press Statement Reject extension of SOSMA detention powers 30 March 2017 Lawyers for Liberty is appalled by the Home Minister’s proposal for the police power of 28 days detention under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (SOSMA) to be extended by another five years. Under SOSMA, the police holds special powers among others, to arrest…
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has dismissed an application for leave for judicial reviews by two Malaysians, who are facing the gallows for drug trafficking convictions in Singapore. Both S. Prabagaran and K. Datchinamuthy are seeking for an order for the Malaysian government to refer Singapore to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on grounds…
A Case for Malaysia to Ratify the UN Convention Against Torture On 10 December 1984, the same day Anglican bishop Desmond Tutu was honoured with the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle against the apartheid regime in South Africa, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) was…
KUALA LUMPUR: A human rights activist has been fined RM10,000 Wednesday by the magistrate’s court here for screening a Sri Lankan civil war documentary which had not been approved by the Censorship Board. Magistrate Mohd Rehan Mohd Aris sentenced Lena Hendry, 32, after she was found guilty of screening the documentary. He made the ruling…
KUALA LUMPUR: A former detainee is suing the Prisons Department for negligence. In his civil suit filed at the High Court registry today, V. Shashitheran, 35, claimed that prison authorities did not take action when he was assaulted by a group of detainees during his 14-day incarceration while awaiting trial for a charge under Section…
Press Statement Stateless children with genuine and effective link to Malaysia should be recognised as citizens 17 March 2017 Lawyers for Liberty urgently calls on the government to relook at its citizenship policies that have rendered thousands of rightful Malaysians as stateless. The two decisions at the Court of Appeal on 16 March 2017 have…
PETALING JAYA: Batu MP Tian Chua risks being disqualified from contesting in the next elections following his conviction and sentence for insulting a police officer using foul words three years ago. The Sessions Court here fined Tian Chua, whose real name is Chua Tian Chang, RM3,000 in default three months’ jail yesterday, after finding him guilty…
Press Statement Breach of the Lockup Rules, poor medical attention and the death of Thanaseelan 27 February 2017 Today, a post-mortem was conducted on the body of Thanaseelan a/l Muniandy, 43, at the Sungai Buloh Hospital. He was arrested and detained on 22 February and died in the custody of the Bukit Sentosa Police Station,…
Press Statement Release and cease the harassment against Orang Asli protestors and journalists 24 January 2017 Lawyers for Liberty is shocked and appalled at the Kelantan Forestry Department’s arrest of 16 Orang Asli protestors over their anti-logging barricades in Pos Bihai, Gua Musang and 2 journalists/documentary makers from Channel News Asia who covered the event.…
PETALING JAYA: All refugees regardless of their country of origin should be accorded the opportunity to work in Malaysia, say human rights activists. While welcoming the Government’s decision to provide training in semi-skilled areas for Rohingya in country who are UNHCR cardholders, activists say there should not be discrimination against other refugees. Tenaganita programme director…
The Court of Appeal acquitted and discharged student activist Muhammad Safwan Anang from a sedition charge brought against him by the government, over a speech he made three years ago. See the full judgment here: Muhammad Safwan Bin Anang @ Talib v Public Prosecutor
KOTA KINABALU: Former Sabah Bersih chairman Jannie Lasimbang hugged her lawyer Ram Singh and supporters after she was discharged and acquitted of the charges related to last year’s Bersih rally here. Lasimbang and her supporters cheered outside the Kota Kinabalu magistrate’s court after magistrate Cindy Mc Juce Balitus made the ruling yesterday evening. The former…