We, the undersigned organisations, strongly condemn the arrest of two protesters during a spontaneous, peaceful protest held outside the US Embassy at noon today in response to Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla and the detention of hundreds of activists, including 23 Malaysians. As a spontaneous assembly responding to unfolding events, the protest was entitled to adaptive facilitation—not punitive policing. Police had a positive obligation to facilitate the a

*The Malay translation of this statement is available below, following the English version. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) condemns the police handling of student activist Aliefah as an abuse of power and a breach of due process.  Aliefah's arrest was wholly unnecessary. A summons to appear voluntarily for questioning would have sufficed. Instead, like student activist Abdul Qayyum who was also arrested under similar circumstances ten days ago, Aliefah was taken to IPD Tawau

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) mengalu-alukan penegasan Perdana Menteri bahawa orang awam mempunyai hak untuk berhimpun secara aman di hadapan Parlimen. Pendiran yang jelas ini menegaskan bahawa perhimpunan aman adalah satu hak perlembagaan — bukan satu kesulitan logistik — dan mengukuhkan kepentingan akses orang awam kepada institusi kuasa. Namun begitu, kami bimbang dengan penekanan terhadap isu trafik dan koordinasi sebagai syarat untuk melaksanakan hak perlembagaan ini. K

*The Malay translation of this statement is available below, following the English version. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) strongly condemns the arrest of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) Deputy Chairperson S. Arutchelvan (“Arul”) under Sections 353 and 427 of the Penal Code. This arrest amounts to a clear abuse of police powers and process and reflects a longstanding pattern of intimidation against activists for exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly.  Arul

*The Malay translation of this statement is available below, following the English version. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) condemns the...

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) is gravely concerned by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia’s (SUHAKAM) hesitation to lodge police reports against prison officers who have lied under oath during SUHAKAM’s ongoing public inquiry into the 17 January assault at Taiping Prison this year.