Court backtracks, now says punishing rally organisers legal

The Court of Appeal today ruled that a provision in the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 (PAA) that punishes organisers for holding assemblies is constitutional. A three-man bench chaired by Tan Sri Md Raus Sharif said Section 9(5) of the PAA, which provides for a fine of up to RM10,000, did not run foul of Article…

LFL: Stop harassment of lawyer Matthias Chang

Press Statement  29 September 2015 Stop harassment of lawyer Matthias Chang   Lawyers for Liberty condemns the police for questioning lawyer Matthias Chang over his client Khairuddin Abu Hassan who was recently detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (SOSMA) 2012. Khairuddin was held for allegedly committing “sabotage” when he lodged multiple police reports overseas on the massive 1Malaysia…

LFL: Keep activists safe, apprehend assailants immediately

Press Statement 15 September 2015 Keep activists safe, apprehend assailants immediately   Lawyers for Liberty is deeply concerned with the recent attacks against well-known LGBT activist Nisha Ayub and student leader Syahir Rahimi Sukri, president of Gabungan Mahasiswa Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Nisha Ayub was attacked with an iron rod last Thursday by two men and…

LFL: Protes 16 September berkemungkinan tidak aman

Kenyataan Akhbar 14 September 2015 Protes 16 September berkemungkinan tidak aman   Lawyers for Liberty melihat dengan kebimbangan terhadap protes “anti-Bersih” pada 16 September yang digelar “Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu” atau “Kebangkitan Maruah Melayu” yang tersebar dengan meluas dan dikongsi di media sosial. Ini juga termasuk poster-poster dengan slogan seperti “Tanah Tumpahnya Darah Ku” yang turut…

LFL: 16 September protest likely to be anything but peaceful

Press Statement 14 September 2015 16 September protest likely to be anything but peaceful Lawyers for Liberty views with extreme concern the upcoming “anti-Bersih” protest on 16 September dubbed “Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu” or “Kebangkitan Maruah Melayu” that has been widely publicised and shared on social media including posters with slogans like “Tanah Tumpahnya Darah Ku” depicting martial art poses…

Bar to go after those meddling in 1MDB probe

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Bar will initiate legal action against public officers who interfered in investigations into 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB). Its president Steven Thiru said the Bar was mandated under the Legal Profession Act to uphold the law. He said one possible action was the tort of abuse of power or misfeasance in public…

Anwar now limited to meeting lawyers an hour a week, reps complain

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 ― The Home Ministry is imposing “unconstitutional” restrictions on the jailed Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim including limiting him to meeting lawyers no more than an hour each week, his family and legal representatives claimed today. One of Anwar’s lawyers, Latheefa Koya, said the restricted access to legal counsel also comes during…

Maria Chin among 9 charged with illegal assembly, sedition

Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah and seven others today pleaded not guilty for participating in the #KitaLawan rallies held earlier this year. Chin, Jingga 13 chairman Mohd Fariz Musa, Bersih 2.0 secretariat manager Mandeep Singh, Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin, activist Adam Adli Abd Halim, Teja statesman Chang Lih Kang, Batu MP special…

LFL: Hentikan pemburuan, perbuatan biadap bukanlah satu jenayah

Kenyataan Akhbar 3 September 2015 Hentikan pemburuan, perbuatan biadap bukanlah satu jenayah   Lawyers for Liberty memandang dengan kebimbangan ke atas cubaan demi cubaan untuk menjenayahkan beberapa orang peserta Bersih 4 yang telah ditangkap gambar sedang memijak foto Perdana Menteri dan Presiden Pas Hadi Awang.   Walaupun perbuatan itu mungkin dikatakan biadab, ia bukan sesuatu…

LFL: Stop the witch-hunt, being rude is not a crime

Press Statement 3 September Stop the witch-hunt, being rude is not a crime Lawyers for Liberty views with extreme concern the concerted attempts made to criminalise some Bersih 4 participants who were photographed stepping on a picture of the Prime Minister and Pas President Hadi Awang.   While the act itself may be rude, it…

LFL: Penyalahgunaan kuasa dalam penangkapan besar-besaran dan penahanan di Rumah Api

Kenyataan Akhbar 2 September 2015 Penyalahgunaan kuasa dalam penangkapan besar-besaran dan penahanan di Rumah Api   Lawyers for Liberty terkejut dan kesal dengan serbuan polis di pentas muzik independen Rumah Api semasa acara ‘Party Tonight, Revolution Tomorrow’ pada malam sebelum #Bersih4 di mana lebih daripada seratus orang termasuk pemilik pentas, ahli-ahli band dan penonton gig…