Sekretariat Himpun and the undersigned organisations condemn the obstruction by the police against peaceful protesters outside Parliament today as they submitted memoranda on the amendments to the Peaceful Assembly Act and the repeal of the Sedition Act.

The track record of Section 9(5) further undermines its necessity. Between 2020 and 2024, only four were charged under Section 9(5) out of 636 investigated—highlighting its limited prosecutorial value and waste of enforcement resources.

The government must not miss this critical opportunity to deliver the ‘comprehensive reform of laws related to the right to assemble’ that it has pledged to implement.

The judgement thus rightfully affirms what civil society has advocated for all along – that the right to peaceful assembly is a right and not a privilege granted at the discretion of authorities and that prior notification should serve to facilitate and not restrict the exercise of this right under Article 10(1)(b) of the Federal Constitution.

Sempena Hari Antarabangsa Menyokong Mangsa-Mangsa Penyeksaan dibawah Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) pada 26 Jun, SUARAM...

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