SEDITION ACT – USE OR ABUSE?

De facto Minister of Law, Nancy Shukri defends the Sedition Act, and its use despite, an announcement by the Prime Minister in 2012 that a National Harmony Act would replace it. We ask why the new law is taking so long to enact and if the Sedition Act is being used against the ruling government’s…

LFL: AG appeals against non-decision of PJ Sessions Court in Nik Nazmi’s case

Lawyers for Liberty is shocked to learn that the AG’s Chambers have appealed against the Sessions Court’s “decision” on 5 May 2014 to give effect to the landmark Court of Appeal’s Nik Nazmi judgment in discharging and acquitting him from the charge under Section 9(1) and 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012. Nik Nazmi’s solicitors Daim & Gamany received the Notice of Appeal today.

Get rid of the Sedition Act now, say former A-G and lawyers

There are enough laws to prosecute those who make disparaging racial and religious remarks but selective investigation and prosecution is a cause for worry, a former attorney-general and lawyers said.   Insisting that the Sedition Act be removed from the statute book, they said the law on sedition was stacked against an accused and it…

LFL: The AG must stop undermining the Court of Appeal’s Nik Nazmi decision

Press Statement The AG must stop undermining the Court of Appeal’s Nik Nazmi decision 20 May 2014 Lawyers for Liberty is extremely concerned with the Attorney-General’s response to the Court of Appeal’s landmark Nik Nazmi vs Public Prosecutor decision that declared section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 as unconstitutional and consequently null and…

Sessions Court postpones decision on activists

PETALING JAYA, May 16:   The Petaling Jaya Sessions Court today postponed its decision on the case of Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) activist Badrul Hisham Shaharin or Chegubard, who was recharged under the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) 2012.   This, pending a mention on May 27 in the Federal Court,  as to whether Section…

Courts postpones PAA trial for Rafizi, three others

KUALA LUMPUR (May 15): The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today granted a temporary stay for the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) 2012 trial of Pandan MP, Rafizi Ramli and three others.   The stay was granted pending the outcome of the Attorney General Chamber’s appeal on the Court of Appeal’s landmark decision which declared that organisers…

Basic rights undermined due to weak judiciary, says lawyer

The basic rights of Malaysians as guaranteed in the Federal Constitution have been undermined over the years due to a weak judiciary, a civil rights lawyer said yesterday.   N. Surendran, who is also PKR vice-president, said one such example was the freedom to assemble peacefully but this right was denied in the repealed Police…

LFL: Landmark Court of Appeal judgment in Nik Nazmi vs Public Prosecutor

Press Statement Landmark Court of Appeal judgment in Nik Nazmi vs Public Prosecutor 25 April 2014 Lawyers for Liberty welcomes the Court of Appeal’s landmark Nik Nazmi vs Public Prosecutor decision today that declared section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, a provision that penalises organisers of peaceful assemblies with a fine of up…

LFL: Implementing hudud would be unconstitutional

Press Statement Implementing hudud would be unconstitutional Lawyers for Liberty views with extreme concern PAS’ attempt to table a private member’s bill in Parliament in order to implement the Sharia Criminal Code (II) Enactment 1993, or hudud, in Kelantan. This is an extremely irresponsible act of political grandstanding, calculated to burnish PAS’ Islamic credentials, to…

LFL: AG’s appeal against Anwar aimed at ending political career

Press Statement AG’s appeal against Anwar aimed at ending political career 14 April 2014 Lawyers for Liberty is shocked and appalled at the Attorney-General’s Chambers for appealing to enhance the five-year jail sentence imposed by the Court of Appeal against Anwar Ibrahim in what was clearly a trumped up and politically motivated conviction that has…

LFL: IGP must serve all Malaysians, or else resign

Press Statement: IGP must serve all Malaysians, or else resign 14 April 2014 Lawyers for Liberty is appalled at IGP Khalid Abu Bakar’s refusal to act against Muslim convert Izwan Abdullah when he snatched his son from his estranged wife S.Deepa who was recently granted custody by the Seremban High Court. The IGP should not…

LFL: Coroners’ Court will not break the ‘blue wall of silence’

10 April 2014 Lawyers for Liberty is surprised at Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri’s sudden announcement of the commencement of the permanent Coroners’ Court on15 April 2014 to replace the present inquest system (New Straits Times, 3 April 2014 – “Nancy: Coroner’s Court starts April 15”). Although we welcome the decision in…

LFL: Stop Barring Political Adversaries from Entering Sarawak

25 March 2014 Lawyers for Liberty is outraged at the Federal and Sarawak governments’ decision to ban Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) members of Parliament Rafizi Ramli, Tian Chua and Saifuddin Nasution from entering Sarawak today in order to campaign for the Balingian by-election. This is not the first time members of the opposition or civil…