‘Amending Act will turn lockups into killing fields’

PETALING JAYA: Amending the Prison Act to allow suspects to be held in lock-ups for a maximum of two months instead of one now can lead to more deaths in custody, Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) said today. If the amendments to Section 7 of the Prison Act 1995 are passed through Parliament, the Home Minister…

Lawyer group sounds warning bell over extension of SOSMA powers

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — An NGO objected today to the inclusion of more offences under Putrajaya’s ISA replacement law, warning that this would only widen the “draconian ambit” of security offences in Malaysia. Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) campaign coordinator Michelle Yesudas said under Putrajaya’s planned amendments to the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012…

New secrecy law will cow future whistleblowers, warns NGO

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 — Putrajaya’s latest attempt to tighten secrecy laws here would only frighten away future whistleblowers, Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) warned today as it pleaded with federal lawmakers against passing the law amendment in Parliament. LFL co-founder Eric Paulsen said in a statement here that the proposed amendment to the Penal Code…

Lahad Datu intrusion: Tian Chua gets stay of trial pending appeal

PUTRAJAYA (Oct 11, 2013): The Court of Appeal here today allowed Batu member of Parliament Tian Chua’s application to have the trial on his sedition charge with regard to his alleged statement on the Lahad Datu intrusion, be stayed pending disposal of his appeal. Tian Chua, 50, is appealing to the Court of Appeal against…

Sanjeevan accuses cops of not probing shooting

PETALING JAYA: MyWatch chairman R. Sri Sanjeevan is accusing the police of not investigating the attempt to assassinate him, but instead, are looking at non-related matters such as his tweets. The crime watchdog leader said this after he was questioned at the Tropicana police station here yesterday by some senior police officers in relation to…

Lawyers’ group calls for Ahmad Zahid’s arrest over shoot-to-kill remark

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi should be arrested immediately and charged in court for instigating murder, said a lawyers’ group. Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) said they are disturbed at Ahmad Zahid’s “shoot first” approach to law enforcement, which he allegedly took during a speech at Malacca International Trade Centre on Friday. “Prime…

Sri Lankan Government try to ban No Fire Zone in Nepal

Once again the government of Sri Lanka has tried to prevent an international screening of No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka, this time in Nepal. Once again they have failed because of the determination of defenders of human rights and free speech. Yesterday the Nepali authorities gave the organisers of the Film…

Minister’s remark confirms suspected shoot-to-kill policy, lawyer says

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s comment on a “shoot first” approach when dealing with suspected gang members validates previous fears that the unwritten policy existed within the police force, a human rights lawyer said today. Co-founder of Lawyers for Liberty, Latheefa Koya, said the home minister was essentially giving…

PCA amendments passed to gain Umno support

PETALING JAYA: The Prevention of Crime (Amendment and Extension) 2013 Bill was passed hastily to gain the support of Umno members in view of looming party polls, opined legal experts today. University Malaya law professor Azmi Sharom said the Bill was rushed through to show that Umno MPs are not “afraid” to do these kind…

Tian Chua sedition trial to proceed

Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president Tian Chua has failed in his bid to strike out the sedition charge against him for making statements on the intrusion incident in Lahad Datu, Sabah. High Court Judge Datuk Amelia Tee Hong Geok Abdullah, in dismissing Tian Chua’s application, said the charge as it stands was not wrong in law.…

Dinesh inquest: Police certain deceased carried weapon

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 23): A criminal investigation officer confirmed today that a man who was killed in a controversial police shooting case in Ampang last year was carrying a weapon. ASP Jaswent Singh told the inquest into the death of D Dinesh that the deceased, who was shot by police on suspicion of being involved…