KOMAS staff to be charged for screening documentary film

Pusat KOMAS (Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat) ) programme coordinator Lena Hendry will be charged under the Film Censorship Act 2002 on September 19 over the screening of the No Fire Zone, the Killing Fields of Sri Lanka film.

On July 3, Lena, was arrested alongside two others, KOMAS executive director Arul Prakkash and one of the Board of Directors Anna Har during the screening of the film. The screening was raided by the Home Ministry (KDN), the Police and the Immigration Department.

According to a statement by the Pusat KOMAS director Tan Jo Hann the process of charging Lena was ridiculous and bullying tactics by the Malaysian authorities.

“This is the utmost form of harassment and direct violation of freedom of speech, assembly and association by the Malaysian authorities guaranteed for under Article 10 of the Malaysian Constitution.

“We strongly urge the KDN and the Attorney General Chambers to come to their senses and immediately drop the charges and cease all investigations into the film screening incident,” said Tan.

Meanwhile, regarding the fate of Arul and Anna, Tan said he is not sure as KDN only issued a letter requesting for Lena.

The film No Fire Zone, the Killing Fields of Sri Lanka is a documentary film about the human rights violations in Sri Lanka committed by the government during the civil war in 2009.

Komas is a movement for the Popular Communications for Human Rights in Malaysia.