Malaysian Students Show Solidarity With Detained Indonesian Activists

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Sekretariat Himpun Malaysia calls for the release of all those arrested following the mass protests in Indonesia in August.
The protesters chanting slogans outside the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur this evening.KUALA LUMPUR: A coalition of nine NGOs held a gathering in front of the Indonesian embassy tonight calling for the release of Indonesian student activists detained following the mass protests in Indonesia in August
Around 15 young people took part in the gathering, organised by the Sekretariat Himpun Malaysia, comprising Mandiri, Federasi Pemuda Kebangsaan, Liga Mahasiswa Malaysia, Gerakan Perempuan Melawan, Mahasiswa Demokratik Malaysia, Pro Siswa Kolej Komuniti Malaysia, Suara Rakyat Malaysia, Bersih and Parti Sosialis Malaysia.
Speaking at the protest, Mandiri executive director Amir Hadi said the protesters were “not interested in Indonesian politics”, but are only concerned that the Indonesian activists have been detained for speaking out.
The protesters chanted slogans such as “Hidup Mahasiswa, Bangkit Rakyat (Long live the students, let the people rise)” and “Hidup Rakyat, Bebas Segera (Long live the people, free them now)”.
In an open letter to the Indonesian government, the secretariat demanded the release of student activists Delpedro Marhaen Rismansyah, Muzaffar Salim, Syahdan Hussien, Khariq Anhar and all the other Indonesians detained in the nation’s mass arrests.
“The right to speak out, gather and fight for justice must be guaranteed by the nation. Democracy is only meaningful when human dignity is upheld and the people’s voices are given unconditional respect,” they said.
Delpedro, Muzaffar, Khariq and Syahdan are currently facing charges under Indonesia’s sedition law and the electronic information and transactions law for allegedly inciting riots and violence.
They have been held for nearly two months and are now undergoing a pretrial process to secure their release, the verdict on which is expected to be announced on Monday.
The anti-government protests in August were one of Indonesia’s deadliest, with thousands across the nation rallying against economic inequality and lavish perks for lawmakers.
The clashes intensified after footage circulated of a paramilitary police vehicle running over and killing 21-year-old delivery driver Affan Kurniawan on Aug 28. - FMT

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