We demand that Khalid bin Mohd Ismath be released immediately without condition and refrain from using the Sedition Act,1948 to intimidate activist .
12th October 2015
Khalid Mohd Ismath is a Malaysian activist and a member of the Socialist Party of Malaysia. He has been a student activist , highlighting many issues of human rights violations and misuse of power by the enforcement authorities.
On 7th of Ocotber, 2015, Khalid Mohd Ismath was arrested at this office under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Act, 1998. He arrested under the pretext of contravening this act by posting offensive comments on facebook. Although he was supposed to be released on the 9th October, 2015 at the end of his remand period, he was maliciously arrested again under the infamous Sedition Act, 1948 that same night .
The police have obtained a further detention order against him, by throwing heavy charges against him. Khalid Ismath is now accused of insulting the Royalty and the police force. He is now remanded till Tuesday 13th October, 2015.
The rearrest under the Sedition Act, 1948 was done in reference to a police report made by the same investigating officer whom arrested him under the Communications and Multimedia Act, 1998. The police have used the first arrest to detain him and seize his mobile phone and computer to extract any information which can be used against him to detain him further.
This is a blatant misuse of power by the police force, proves that they had no evidence against him nor any complaint from the public. The Sedition Act has been increasingly used to curtail public dissent and freedom of expression. The government via the police force is instilling fear among the activist by detaining and punishing anyone whom criticize the authorities.
We demand that Khalid bin Mohd Ismath be released immediately without condition and refrain from using the Sedition Act,1948 to intimidate activist .
Background: www.suaram.net
Image : asklegal.my