AG drops sedition charge against UM's Prof Azmi Sharom

Attorney-General Tan Sri Apandi Ali today announced that he is dropping the sedition charges against University Malaya’s law lecturer Prof Azmi Sharom.

“In the interest of justice, and after going through the evidence given by the prosecution’s witnesses in court, I am using my discretion under Article 145(3) of the Federal Constitution and decide to drop the charges against Dr Azmi,” Apandi said in a media statement today.

He said previously, sedition charges against DAP's Teresa Kok were also dropped.

On Sept 2, Azmi was charged with sedition for his comments on the 2009 Perak crisis.

READ: UM's Prof Dr Azmi charged with sedition

He was charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948 for his article "Take Perak crisis route for speedy end to Selangor impasse, Pakatan told" which was published on a news portal.

The academician, who is also UM Academic Staff Association president was alleged to have committed the offence at the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent headquarters in Jalan Hang Tuah at 12.30 pm on Aug 12.

Before this, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala and Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah had said that Azmi should not be charged with sedition.

READ: Azmi should not have been charged with sedition - Idris Jala

READ: Sedition charge against Prof Azmi restricts academic freedom - Saifuddin

PHOTO ALBUM: Solidarity Walk for Azmi Sharom

Idris stated that constructive criticism (or) dissent should be allowed ... "as long as it does not create a serious fault-line in the social fabric of our society" while Saifudin said the charge had suppressed academic freedom.