[asia-apec 684] Amnesty International News Release on Malaysia

[jkellock at amnesty.org]

AI INDEX: ASA 28/20/98News Service: 184/98
21 September 1998 -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Malaysia: Amnesty International calls for Anwar to be charged promptly or
released

The Malaysian authorities should promptly charge Anwar Ibrahim and his
political associates,
detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), with a recognised criminal
offence or release them,
Amnesty International said today.

     "In light of the events leading up to their arrest, and the past
misuse of the ISA for political
purposes, Amnesty International is concerned that Anwar Ibrahim and the
other detainees are
being held solely because of their critical political views and are
possible prisoners of conscience",
the organization said

     "The use of the ISA seems to indicate that authorities are more intent
 on pursuing a
political agenda than on conducting an independent criminal investigation
leading to fair and
open trials."

     The worldwide human rights organization also called on the government
to respect the
right of Malaysians to  peaceful assembly, and for the police to exercise
the maximum restraint in
their treatment demonstrators. More than 50 demonstrators are reported to
have been arrested in
recent days and their whereabouts and welfare remain unclear.


     Those arrested with Anwar over the weekend include the head of the
youth wing of the
ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, and
four senior
members of ABIM, a Muslim youth organization.

     "The improper release into the public domain of untested court
affidavits alleging Anwar?s
involvement in a series of criminal offences, which was then followed not
by charges, but by the
application of the ISA -- allowing indefinite detention without trial --
raises serious questions about
the government?s real motivations", Amnesty International said.

     Under the ISA police are empowered to arrest without a warrant any
person suspected of
acting in ?any manner prejudicial to the security of Malaysia...or the
economic life thereof? and to
question them for a period of up to sixty days before a Minister signs a
detention order of up to two
years, renewable indefinitely. Detention orders are not open to judicial
review and habeas corpus
petitions have proved ineffective.

     Amnesty International has repeatedly protested the application of the
ISA as falling short of
international standards on the right to fair trial, and the right to
peacefully express opinion free from
the threat of arbitrary arrest and detention.

...\ENDS