Case No
Country
MYS 1/2014
22/01/2014 Malaysia
JUA
SAU 2/2014
31/01/2014 Saudi Arabia
JUA
Mandate(s)
Summary of the allegation transmitted
Reply
Freedom of
expression;
Freedom of
peaceful
assembly and of
association;
Freedom of
religion;
Human rights
defenders;
Freedom of
expression;
Freedom of
religion;
Summary
executions;
Alleged reprisals against COMANGO, a coalition of Malaysian non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) for their engagement with the Universal Periodic Review (UPR)
process. According to the information received, the alleged public harassment against
COMANGO, in Parliament and in the press, occurred prior to and since Malaysia’s
second review under the UPR process on 24 October 2013. On 8 January 2014, the
Ministry of Home Affairs allegedly issued a press statement declaring COMANGO to
be illegal. Grave concern is expressed that the recent banning of COMANGO might be
an act of reprisal for its engagement with the UPR process.
09/09/2014
12/02/2014
Alleged detention and prosecution of a blogger and organizer of a conference to mark
26/01/2015
the “day of liberalism” on charges of insulting Islam and “apostasy”. According to the
information received, on 17 June 2012, Mr. Raef Badawi was arrested in Jeddah after
organizing a conference to mark the “day of liberalism” and was subsequently detained
in a prison in Briman. In July 2012, a trial against Mr. Badawi started before the General
Court in Jeddah, with jurisdiction over apostasy cases, but was later referred to the
Criminal Court of Jeddah as the General Court decided that Mr. Badawi should not be
tried for apostasy. The charges brought against Mr. Badawi relate to a number of articles
he had written and published on his website and on social media deemed to be insulting
Islam. On 29 July 2013, the Criminal Court in Jeddah convicted Mr. Badawi under the
information technology law of “founding a liberal website”, “adopting liberal thought”
and for insulting Islam. Mr. Badawi was sentenced to seven years and three months in
prison, and 600 lashes. On 11 December 2013, the Court of Appeal ruled that the case
should be reviewed again, dropped the apostasy charges, and sent it back to the Criminal
Court in Jeddah, which in turn remanded Mr. Badawi to the General Court on charges of
“apostasy”, an “offence” punishable by death.
A/HRC/28/85
146
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