'Do not charge protesters under Sedition Act'- Lawyers for Liberty

Commenting on the recent protest which took place in Taman Medan against a church for displaying a cross on its outer premises, Lawyers for Liberty Executive Director Eric Paulsen said there are sufficient provisions in the Penal Code to deal with such mischief and, offences instead of the Sedition Act.

“We maintain that a moratorium should be imposed on all further sedition investigation and prosecution and the Sedition Act should be abolished.

“All prosecution under the Sedition Act should similarly be dropped,” he said in a statement.

He also said while the group abhor the protesters’ provocative, intimidating and bullying behaviour, it called for caution in turning every religiously tinged protest into a criminal matter.

“A better way to regulate such misbehaviour is through society itself via dialogue, public criticism and pressure,” said Paulsen.

It also call for the rights of all citizens to protest peacefully including the rights of the protesters, to speak and assemble freely without the hazards of oppressive laws like the Sedition Act and the Peaceful Assembly Act.

“We wish to remind the authorities that Malaysia is a country governed by the Federal Constitution as the supreme law of the land where the rights of the minority is equally protected and not subservient to the rights of the majority, including their freedom of religion and right to manage their own religious affairs,” he added.