Suhakam Disappointed Commissioners Called By Cops Over Lawan Protest

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National Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) has expressed its disappointment that its commissioners have been called in for police questioning over their attendance at the #Lawan protest on July 31, as the commissioners were merely carrying out their duties.
Suhakam said the commissioners were present at that rally in order to monitor the public assembly, in line with its role as a national human rights institution as well as a statutory body established under the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act 1999.
“In order to discharge its functions, Suhakam is mandated under its enabling act, to exercise any or all of its powers including to undertake any appropriate activities as are necessary which includes to monitor the human rights situation in the country.
“In this context, Suhakam was present at the recent #Lawan assembly on July 31, 2021, in line with its function to monitor public assemblies.
“Suhakam expresses its disappointment that its commissioners have been summoned for questioning by the police for merely discharging its duties as mandated under its enabling Act,” it said in a statement today.
Suhakam said before this incident, its commissioners or officers have never been summoned for questioning for monitoring any event since its inception.
It is a “regressive” move for the police to investigate Suhakam commissioners as well as other human rights defenders such as the Bar Council’s representatives who were also there to monitor the rally, it added.
It is also against the spirit of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders that has been adopted by member states, including Malaysia, the commission said.
Suhakam reminded that all Malaysians have the freedom of expression, which is in compliance with a number of international human rights standards on freedom of assembly, is constitutionally protected under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution as well as Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“The authorities are obligated to respect and allow, even facilitate, peaceful assemblies to take place safely and smoothly,” Suhakam said.
It reiterated that anyone who expresses their views on human rights should not suffer from fear of intimidation and reprisal.
On July 31, hundreds of protesters dressed in black marched to Dataran Merdeka to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin due to his government’s mismanagement of the Covid-19 pandemic. 
Since then, the cops have called a number of individuals who participated in the rally and are currently in the progress of tracking down more participants. - Mkini

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