Back in the eve of 2012 new year, we were embraced with human rights violation by the police force which arrested and injured student activists who protested peacefully against the Universities and Universities Colleges Act (UUCA) at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI).
With new year of 2014 just few hours away, fear mongering by the Royal Malaysian Police keeps going on. It is unbecoming for the police force to spread fear among people from joining a peaceful demonstration.
The latest modus operandi against peaceful assemblies by the people are:
– rally planed to overthrow the government
– citing Section 124 of the Penal Code for activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy and under Sosma (Security Offences (Special Measures) Act
– alleged protesters plan to use various weapons, which includes grenades
– more than 1100 police report lodged nationwide against the rally
– illegal assembly and no permit
These has been the common tactics of fear by the cops in order to demonise the fundamental rights of citizen to assemble peacefully. Before the 9th July 2009 Bersih 2.0 demonstration, police linked the movement with alleged findings of weapons such as parang at Kuala Lumpur and Gombak.
Violations
SUARAM would like to remind the police force that any violation of human rights during encountering a peaceful demonstration contravenes the following:
– Article 20 of the Universal Declaration Of Human Rights (UDHR) guarantees the right to assemble peacefully.
– Article 10 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia guarantees the freedom to assemble peacefully .
The Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and his force needs to look back at the SUHAKAM’s Public Inquiry Report on Bersih 3.0.
The final report from the inquiry clearly states that the police force had used excessive force and misconduct during and after the arrest of participants of the Bersih rally for free and fair elections last 28 April 2012.
SUARAM urges the Royal Malaysian Police to discharge their duties in line with the provisions of the Federal Constitution and international human rights standards.
Hopefully today will not be marked as another day where the country looses its dignity and pride by hitting hard on it’s own citizens who voices out democratically and peacefully
R. Thevarajan is the SUARAM Coordinator