MALAYSIA – Charge or release: nine detained for attending a religious class
3 March 2010 8:47 am

suaram.jpgGerakan Mansuhkan ISA
(GMI or Abolish the ISA Movement)
and FORUM-ASIA member SUARAM condemned the Malaysian government for
deciding to extradite nine foreigners who were detained under
the Internal Security Act (ISA). In their statement below,
issued on 17 February 2010, they appealed to the government to provide
legal assistance for these detainees and stop deportation.
suaram.jpgGerakan Mansuhkan ISA
(GMI or Abolish the ISA Movement)
and FORUM-ASIA member SUARAM condemned the Malaysian government for
deciding to extradite nine foreigners who were detained under
the Internal Security Act (ISA). In their statement below,
issued on 17 February 2010, they appealed to the government to provide
legal assistance for these detainees and stop deportation.  

Gerakan
Mansuhkan ISA (GMI) and Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) condemn the
decision by the Home Minister to extradite the nine Internal Security
Act (ISA) detainees to their countries without any explanation to their
family members and people of Malaysia. The nine detainees are among
those detainees who have been detained currently under the draconian
ISA. They were arrested under the ISA on Thursday, 21st
January 2010 at Sungai Cincin, Gombak, when they were attending an
informal religious class at Sungai Cincin. They were allegedly linked to
international terrorist organisation.

GMI
and Suaram also strongly condemn the new arrest and also deportation of
these detainees. We also learned that until today the detainees have
not been allowed for legal access. We urged the police and the
government to allow the detainees for legal assistance and immediately
stop their planning to deport them.

GMI
and Suaram values security of the country and does not condone any
terrorist activities, but one's entitlement to a fair trial should not
be deprived on any basis. If the government has evidence against the
suspects, we urge the government to charge them in an open court, in
accordance with their right to defend themselves, the right to legal
counsel and the right to a fair trial. Otherwise, they should be
released without any delay and unconditionally.
We
call up on the government to take the necessary steps to effectively
repeal the law in order to respect fundamental rights and freedoms.
Abolish the draconian ISA which  allows and provides for arbitrary
arrest and detention without trial for an indefinite period now!.