Opposition Leaders in Malaysia Under Arrest Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit URGENT ACTION ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION URGENT APPEAL PROGRAMME AHRC UA Index: 000414 14 April 2000 UA 20/00: Freedom of expression denied MALAYSIA: ROSLAN KASSIM, MOHD EZAM, OTHER OPPOSITION LEADERS ARRESTED The Malaysian authorities arrested this morning Roslan Kassim from Keadilan. Roslan has been remanded for seven days. Keadilan politicians, Youth chief Mohd Ezam and exco member Gopalakrishnan have been detained. Police are believed to be looking for other keadilan leaders including Vice-President Mr. Tian Chua. The arrested persons are involved in the preparations for tomorrow's gathering to mark the first anniversary of Anwar's conviction on 14 April 1999. The Asian Human Rights Commissions believes that the right to assemble peacefully is a universal right enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other United Nations treaties. By arresting the keadilan officials, the Malaysian government is trying to stifle dissent and crush any opposing views. Asian Human Rights Commission strongly condemns the above arrests of individuals related to opposition political parties. Malaysian promoting democracy and human rights deserve support and solidarity of the international community at this difficult moment. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: 9 April 2000 The police disrupt Party Keadilan Nasional s [Keadilan] first Anniversary celebration held at their own premises in Desa Melawati, Gombak, Malaysia. As a registered political party, Keadilan has the right to hold a gathering to mark its anniversary. The police rejected Keadilan's application for a permit and resorted to use force to break up the gathering which included many children and senior citizens. 11 April 2000 Police summoned opposition leaders Azizah Ismail and other to interrogated them about a gathering they organized on 9 April to celebrate the first anniversary of Anwar's National Justice Party (keadilan). The police have refused to grant a permit for Party Keadilan Nasional to hold a peaceful gathering on Saturday, April 15, 2000 in Kuala Lumpur to mark the imprisonment of the former Deputy Prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. The Police have issued warnings to the public, and threatening to arrest the leaders of Keadilan. The Kuala Lumpur police chief Kamarudin Mohamad Ali warned the citizens against taking part in the gathering. Last November Keadilan won five parliamentary seats in the general election, and the party helped the Barisan Alternatif (Alternative Front) to boost the opposition's tally of seats to 45 in the 193-seat Parliament. 15 April 2000 gathering is plan to be staged at the National Mosque. In September 1998 that was where Anwar spoke to a 30,000-strong crowd hours before his arrest. From the mosque those gathered will march to theNational Palace to hand over a "People's Memorandum" to the King. The memorandum calls on the King, as head of Islamic affairs, to reprimand Mahathir for "discrediting the religion and splitting the community". The memorandum also calls for more severe punishment for former police chief Abdul Rahim Noor, whose blows on Anwar in a police cell in September 1998 were deemed potentially fatal. Rahim was sentenced to two months in jail by a Kuala Lumpur court and is out on bail pending appeal. AHRC urge all individuals, groups and UN agencies to act urgently on this emerging situation in Malaysia. AHRC appeal to all individuals, groups to write to Malaysian authorities condemning the above detentions and especially appeal to United Nations agencies and particularly UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson to intervene with the Malaysian authorities with regards to the recent detentions. RECOMMEDED ACTION: Please write letters. faxes and emails to the addresses are written below the following sample letter, which you may use as a guide. Calls for the immediate release of all those arrested in connection with April 15 planned gathering. ------------------- SAMPLE LETTER ---------------------------------------- Your Excellency, We are shocked that the Malaysian authorities arrested Roslan Kassim from Keadilan on 14 April 2000. Roslan has been remanded for seven days. Keadilan politicians, Youth chief Mohd Ezam and exco member Gopalakrishnan have been detained. Police are believed to be looking for ther keadilan officials including Vice-President Mr. Tian Chua. The arrested persons are involved in the preparations for April 15 gathering to mark the first anniversary of Anwar's conviction on 14 April 1999. We calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all those arrested in connection with April 15 gathering. We believe that the right to assemble peacefully is a universal right enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other United Nations treaties. Yours sincerely SEND LETTERS TO: -Dato Abdulah Badawi -Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs -Jalan Dato' Onn -50502 Kuala Lumpur, -Malaysia -Faxes: +(603) - 230 1051 -Tan Sri Mohtar Abdullah -Attorney General -Bangunan Bank Rakyat -Jalan Tangsi -50732 Kuala Lumpur -Malaysia -Fax: 603-298 4172 -SEND COPIES TO: -Kofi Annan -Secretary General -United Nations Room S-3800 -New York NY 10017 -Fax: 603-2910707 -Email: ecu @ un.org -Ms. Mary Robinson -Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights -Palais des Nations -8-14 aveneue de la Paix -CH 1211 Geneve -Switzerland -Fax: +(41) 22 9170213 -Email: webadmin.hchr @ unorg.ch -Diplomatic representatives of Malaysia accredited to your country. -Please remember to send a copy to AHRC UA: -AHRC Ugent Appeals Programme -Asian Human Rights Commission -Unit D, 7th Floor, Mongkok Commercial Centre, -16 - 16B Argyle Street, Kowloon, HONGKONG -Tel: +(852) - 2698-6339 -Fax: +(852) - 2698-6367 -E-mail: ua @ ahrchk.org If you need to contact the AHRC Urgent Appeal Coordinator. Send message to: Mr.sinapan samydorai AHRC has an Urgent Appeal Programme which operates around the clock. AHRC issues urgent appeals on behalf of persons or groups of persons whose human rights have been violated. All urgent appeals released by the AHRC since late 1997 can be accessed at our website: http:// www . ahrchk.net/hrappeal.htm ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytas-04.17.00-05:52:45-377