Amnesty International: No significant improvement by Malaysia in addressing human rights

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has not made any significant improvement in addressing issues relating to human rights, Amnesty International Malaysia said in its latest annual report.
Its executive director Shamini Darshni Kaliemuthu said one of the major issues raised was the persistent crackdown on freedom of expression.
"In 2016, repressive acts such as the Sedition Act 1948 and the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) 1998 were repeatedly used to silence government critics who were harassed, intimidated and often detained, constant with the trend we see within Southeast Asia on threats towards the region's Human Rights Defenders.
"The blocking and subsequent shutdown of independent news portal The Malaysian Insider, attacks against activists Fahmi Rehza and Haris Ibrahim, as well as the travel ban on political cartoonist Zunar are some examples of the oppression against freedom of expression," Shamini said during the launch of the report today.
Other concerns that were highlighted in the 408-page report includes freedom of assembly and association, arbitrary arrests and detentions, police and security forces, refugees and asylum seekers, and the death penalty.
On arbitrary arrests and detention in Malaysia, Shamini said the report spotlighted the arrest and 11-day solitary confinement of Bersih 2.0 chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) and cases of 13 Sosma detainees who were tortured in police detention as reported by human rights NGO Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram).
"Decades have passed since the United Nations Convention Against Torture (Uncat) was entered into force, yet torture continues across the world, including in Malaysia, one of the few countries left which has yet to accede to the convention.
"However, by joining the other 161 United Nations (UN) member states that are party to the Uncat, Malaysia would be making a firm commitment towards eliminating torture," Shamini said, adding that Malaysia is one of 32 UN member states that have yet to ratify the Uncat.