Malaysia: Urgent action needed for release of student activist Adam Adli

By Nalini Elumalai, executive director, SUARAM

May 21, 2013 – Malaysia's human rights organisation Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) requests your urgent intervention in the detention of Adam Adli (pictured above), student activist from Malaysia. SUARAM is dedicated to the protection of human rights defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.

Brief description of the situation:

SUARAM condemns the arbitrary and unlawful detention of Student Activist, Adam Adli under the Section 4 of the Sedition Act[1] which prohibiting discourse deemed as seditious and if found guilty under the act, Adam could be jailed for up to three years, fined not more than RM5000, or both.

Student activist Adam Adli was arrested in Bangsar on May 18, 2013 by 10 plainclothes police officers around 3.15 pm. He is believed to be arrested over the remarks he made during a post-election forum organised by Suara Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) on May 13 at Kl/Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in Kuala Lumpur. During the forum, Adam had joined several other anti-government NGOs in calling for a massive street rally to express unhappiness over the fraud that happened related to electoral process in the country during the 13th general election that was held on May 5, 2013.

He was immediately were brought to Jinjang police remand centre. He is currently being kept in lock up. This acts by police to put Adam immediately into lock up clearly shows that, police has no intention to do further investigation rather they has made decision to hold Adam Adli arbitrarily.

SUARAM condemns the arbitrary detention and judicial harassment against Adam Adli which seems to merely aim at sanctioning his peaceful activities and his freedom of expression in the framework of the campaign against the frauds that happened during General election.

SUARAM urge the police to show respect of the people’s freedom of expression and release Adam Adli immediately. The police have started their hunting since post-election. All this harassment and intimidation against human rights defenders must stop now.

Malaysia has already an atrocious international record on democracy and human rights and it should not join the ranks of rogue countries universally regarded as most notorious and infamous for their reckless disregard for the most basic human rights – human dignity and life.

Actions requested

Please write to the authorities of Malaysia, urging them to:

i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Adam Adli as well as of all human rights defenders in Malaysia;

ii. Release Adam Adli immediately and unconditionally since his detention is arbitrary as it seems to merely sanction his human rights activities;

iii. Put an end to acts of any harassment – including at the judicial level – against Adam Adli as well as against all human rights defenders in Malaysia;

iv. Abolish Sedition Act 1948 which against human rights principles;

v. Comply with all the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, in particular with its:

- Article 1, which provides that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”;

- Article 6(a), which foresees that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to participate in peaceful activities against violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms”;

- Article 12.2 (“the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”);

vi. More generally, ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with international and regional human rights instruments.

Addresses

1. Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak,

Prime Minister of Malaysia,

Prime Minister's Office,

Main Block, Perdana Putra Building,

Federal Government Administrative Centre,

62502 Putrajaya , MALAYSIA

Tel: 603-8888 8000

Fax: 603-8888 3444

E-Mail: ppm@pmo.gov.my

Salutation: Dear Prime Minister of Malaysia

2. Datuk Zahid Hamidi

Ministry of Home Affairs

Blok D1 & D2, Kompleks D

Pusat Pentadbiran

Kerajaan Persekutuan

62546 Putrajaya, Malaysia

Fax : +60 3 8889 1613, +60 3 8889 1610

Salutation: Dear Minister of Home Affairs

3. Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar,

IInspector General of Royal Malaysian Police

Ibu Pejabat Polis Diraja Malaysia,

Bukit Aman,

50560 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 603-2266 2222

Fax: 603-2070 7500

E-Mail: rmp@rmp.gov.my

Salutation: Dear Inspector General

4. Chairman/Secretary

Malaysian Human Rights Commission,

Level 11, Menara TH Perdana,

Jalan Sultan Ismail,

50250 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03 26125600

Fax: 03 26125620

5. Mr. Frank La Rue

Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression

Palais des Nations

CH-1211 Geneva 10

Switzerland

Fax: +41 22 917 9006

Email: freedex@ohchr.or

6. Ms. Margaret Sekaggya,

Special Rapporteur on the situation on human rights defenders,

Email: defenders@ohchr.org, urgent-action@ohchr.org, ksmeby@ohchr.org

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken.

To contact SUARAM;

• E-mail: suaram@suaram.net

• Tel and fax SUARAM : + 60377843525/ + 60377843526

Note

[1] 4. (1) Any person who—

(a) does or attempts to do, or makes any preparation to do, or conspires with any person to do, any act which has or which would, if done, have a seditious tendency; (b) utters any seditious words; (c) prints, publishes, sells, offers for sale, distributes or reproduces any seditious publication; or (d) imports any seditious publication,shall be guilty of an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable for a first offence to a fine not exceeding five thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to both, and, for a subsequent offence, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years; and any seditious publication found in the possession of the person or used in evidence at his trial shall be forfeited and may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of as the court directs.