Date
Type
Case No
Country
Mandate(s)
Summary of the allegation transmitted
Reply
MYS 5/2014
18/08/2014 Malaysia
JAL
Environment;
Freedom of
peaceful
assembly and of
association;
Human rights
defenders;
Toxic waste;
05/02/2016
Allegations of excessive use of force by the police against environmental and human
rights defenders, and local residents who were peacefully protesting against an
Australian private company. According to the information received, Lynas Corporation,
and its Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) is a rare earth processing plant
currently being set up in Kuantan, Malaysia, that will potentially impose tons of toxic
waste on the local community. On 22 June 2014, around 1,000 environmental activists,
human rights defenders and local residents gathered to peacefully protest against the
Australian mining company, Lynas Corporation, at Jalan Bandaran in Gebeng, Malaysia.
Reportedly, after attempts to negotiate with the police, several protesters were beaten
and arrested. Two protesters were hospitalized and one sustained serious injuries to his
head. Fifteen Malaysian protesters were charged with, among others, unlawful assembly
and rioting: Wong Tack, leader of Himpunan Hijau Hijau, (Green Assembly), a
Malaysian environmentalist movement, and five of its members - Phua Kia Yeow, Ho
Kam Huat, Wong Chee Wai, Wong Chee Wen and Foong Poh Choo - and Chong Kong
Yeun, Raymond Ng Abdullah, Hew Kuan Yau, Thomas Wang, Ta Weng Seng, Rapar
Ahmad, Lee Khai Ming, Tan Chee Hooi and Zamri Zonal. Ms. Natalie Lowrey, an
Australian citizen, was also arrested and detained for six days, during which she was
denied access to basic necessities, including water, before being deported to Australia on
27 June 2014.
MYS 6/2014
01/10/2014 Malaysia
JUA
Freedom of
expression;
Freedom of
peaceful
assembly and of
association;
Human rights
defenders;
Independence of
judges and
lawyers;
14/10/2014
Allegations of criminalization of the lawful exercise of the right to freedom of opinion
15/03/2016
and expression, through application of the Sedition Act of 1948. According to the
information received, at least 23 persons, including elected Members of Parliament,
political activists, human rights defenders, academics, lawyers, students and journalists,
have been charged, detained and sentenced under the Sedition Act of 1948 for
expressing opinions and disseminating information through different channels, including
the internet and traditional media. It is reported that the Sedition Act of 1948 has been
increasingly used in recent months to prevent and criminalize democratic speech,
including criticism against the Government, its leaders and ruling political parties, as
well as to prevent discussions on religion and ethnicity issues.
A/HRC/32/53
95
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