The Kuala Lumpur High Court has swiftly granted a stay in deportation of MA Quayum in the hearing for Quayum’s habeas corpus application this morning.
Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) applauds the Kuala Lumpur High Court and the Attorney-General’s Chambers for this decision.
MA Quayum, a member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was apprehended in a joint operation conducted by the Malaysian police and the National Security Intelligence (NSI) of Bangladesh on 12 January at his residence in Ampang. He has been detained at the Ampang Jaya District Police Headquarters till this morning, and is in the midst of being referred to the Immigration Department Headquarters in Putrajaya. The arrest and detention are especially unwarranted, as Quayum is a UNHCR-recognised refugee and has an active UNHCR card.
We demand the Immigration Department to fully comply with this court order and immediately cease any plans to deport Quayum. The reprehensible act of defying the temporary court order and forcibly deporting asylum seekers that was cruelly executed three years ago should not be repeated.
As a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Malaysia must uphold its commitment to respect and protect refugees fleeing persecution, as well as refrain from forcibly returning them to a country where they may face harm. Violating the fundamental principle of non-refoulement would cast doubt on the MADANI government's commitment to human rights. On this note, we reiterate our call on the Malaysian government to release MA Quayum immediately and unconditionally.