Urgent Appeal update: 60 cyclists and acitivist Released
suaram
SUARA RAKYAT MALAYSIA
Address: 433A, Jalan 5/46, Gasing Indah, 46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor , Malaysia .
Telephone: +6 03 7784 3525 Fax: +6 03 7784 3526
Email: sua...@suaram.net Web: www.suaram.net
60 cyclists and acitivist Released
The 60 cyclists and activists who were arrested yesterday (15/12/08) at Balai Polis Rawang have been relased today. The cyclists have been relased this morning after their parents arrival. Meanwhile the JERIT activists have been released around 3am. They were charged under the Police Act for illegal procession, and under the Child Act for abusing children.
We thank all for your kind attention.
SUARAM strongly condemns the police for their ongoing attacks and intimidation on freedom of expression, a fundamental right which is guaranteed under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Federal Constitution of Malaysia. We demand the Malaysian government to allow the cyclist to continue cycling and practice their freedom of expression as stated in Federal Constitution.We warn the Police to immediately retract its threat to arrest cyclists at Parliament on Thursday.
Urgent action needed:
Please
continue to write protest letters to the government and the police to express
your strongest condemnation of the arrests and the ongoing denial of rights of
expression. Please also demand the Malaysian government to allow the cyclist to
continue their campaign and allow them to practice their freedom of expression
as stated in Federal Constitution.
Please call and send your protest
letters to:
1. Inspector-General of
Police
Tan Sri Musa Hassan
Ibu Pejabat Polis
Diraja Malaysia,
50560 Bukit Aman,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.
Tel: +603 2262
6015
Fax: +603 2272 5613
2. Selangor Police Chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar
IPK Selangor
Ibu Pejabat Polis
Kontinjen Selangor
Polis Diraja Malaysia
40000 Shah
Alam
Selangor
Tel: 03-55145222 / CPO Mobile number : +60192408647
Fax: 03-55156858, 03-55101201
SAMPLE LETTER
[Letterhead of your organisation]
Inspector-General of
Police
Tan Sri Musa Hassan
Ibu Pejabat Polis Diraja Malaysia,
50560
Bukit Aman,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: +603 2262 6015
Fax: +603 2272 5613
Email:
r...@rmp.gov.my
Please cc the letter to sua...@suaram.net or jeri...@gmail.com
Dear Sir,
Re: Stop Intimidation by the police against the JERIT Cyclist and the activists
We are writing to you, once again, to express our outrage and our strongest condemnation over your government's ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression, a fundamental right which is guaranteed under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Federal Constitution of Malaysia. We demand the Malaysian government to allow the cyclists to continue cycling and practice their freedom of expression as stated in Federal Constitution.
We are appalled by your government's and the police's latest actions and view this as yet another attempt by your government to intimidate Malaysian citizens from participating in any form of public assembly and exercising their freedom to express their views.
We further demand that your government stops the assault on freedom of expression.
We strongly urge you, once again, to stop bringing shame to Malaysia, a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council. We would like to remind you that freedom of expression is guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as the Federal Constitution of Malaysia. We urge the Police to immediately retract its threat to arrest cyclists at Parliament on Thursday.
Yours sincerely,
[Name]
Background
A team of more than 50 cyclists of Jerit's ‘Ride for Change' campaign from Kedah was stopped by the police at a roadblock in Rawang town in Selangor at about 5pm today.
The police at first asked four of the organisers and seven cyclists who were on an accompanying bus to head towards the state for questioning.However in a later development, all the cyclists were taken to the Rawang police station. By 10.30pm it was learnt that a total of 57 people were questioned by the Rawang police, including Sungai Siput member of parliament Dr D Jeyakumar and Rawang state assemblyperson Gan Pei Nie.
4
December: A volunteer of the campaign, Ruben s/o Loganathan has been
arrested at Merbau Pulas, Kedah, for leafleting leaflets containing demands of
JERIT's Bicycle campaign, but released under police bail on the same
day.
5 December: Teluk Kumbar police had stopped the cyclist of
JERIT cycle campaign from leafleting in Teluk Kumbar, Penang.
6 December: 16 Activist has been arrested in Skudai Johor.
9 December: 8 individuals have been arrested on the seventh day of the JERIT cycle campaign. One of the female JERIT activists, Helen Mary Johnson has been molested and punched on the face by a police officer while she was taking photographs. Another JERIT activist Lee Huat Seng’s Lee Huat Seng's camera was confiscated and in the process the police hurt him in the arm.
15 December: 39 individuals from the Southern team were arrested at Bangi Lama Estate.60 individuals from the Northern team were arrested at Rawang police station and they were released on 16 December. 29 acitivist have been charged under Police Act for illegal procession, and under the Child Act for abusing children.
Released By,
Nalini.E
SUARAM Coordinator