Activists charged with sedition by Malaysian court
Malaysia: A Malaysian court charged five more people with sedition yesterday as part of what critics have called a crackdown aimed at silencing allegations the ruling coalition cheated to win recent elections.
The accusations, repeated in a series of opposition-organised rallies drawing tens of thousands of people around the country, have added pressure on Prime Minister Najib Razak who was already smarting from a disappointing polls win.
The five men charged yesterday — opposition politicians Tian Chua and Tamrin Ghafar, and three activists — pleaded not guilty in a Kuala Lumpur district court. Sedition carries a prison term of up to three years.
They were charged over statements calling for protests against the results of the May 5 election, Chua’s lawyer N Surendran said.
“It’s a completely groundless charge. It seems to be punishing free speech,” said Surendran, who is also Vice-President of the People’s Justice Party headed by Anwar Ibrahim.
Yesterday’s court action brought the number charged with sedition since the polls to six. Last week charges were brought against a student activist whose arrest had provoked candlelight vigils by hundreds of people.
Amnesty International and other international groups have condemned the police actions as a crackdown on peaceful expression.
“This is part of a wider campaign by the prime minister and the home minister to silence opposition to election fraud,” Surendran said.
