Civil Society Joint Statement on Police Harassment of Women’s March Organising Committee

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Photo source : Malay Mail, https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/03/12/for-2023-womens-march-malaysia-calls-for-equal-pay-and-immediate-end-to-child-marriages/59240

Civil society joint statement on police harassment of Women’s March Organising Committee on 23 March 2023 in Kuala Lumpur

We, the undersigned civil society organisations, are deeply disturbed by the police harassment of the  10 activists associated with the Women’s March 2023 under the Peaceful Assembly Act and Minor Offences Act.

The march was held peacefully in all aspects with a diversity of messages relating to gender equality and related rights. It is a national celebration of democracy, similar to the Reformasi movement of the late 1990s that saw leaders like Anwar Ibrahim, Wan Azizah and Saifuddin Nasution take to the streets.

If the suppression of public voices in late 1990s was wrong, so is the suppression of the people’s voices on 8 March 2023.

The Pakatan Harapan-led government must remember that national democratisation and regime change was built on the sacrifices of thousands of pro-democracy activists in Malaysia. Accordingly, the new government should better appreciate the value of democracy and freedom; and differentiate itself from the previous authoritarian regimes.

Furthermore, aside from the Peaceful Assembly Act that in needs of reform, we are also concerned that the police has also increasingly resort to the use of Section 14 Minor Offences Act to deter assemblies. The Minor Offences Act should not serve as another tool for penalise peaceful assemblers.

We urge the police to respect the freedom of expression of the participants. All investigations against the organising committee members, speakers and observers should be dropped immediately. Instead, the police should investigate a sexual harassment allegation made by an activist.

Endorsed by : (alphabetical order)

  1. Agora Society Malaysia
  2. Aliran
  3. All Women’s Action Society (AWAM)
  4. Association of Women Lawyers
  5. Bersih
  6. Centre for Independent Journalism
  7. Citizens Against Enforced Disappearances (CAGED)
  8. EMPOWER
  9. Family Frontiers
  10. IMAN Research
  11. Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS)
  12. JEJAKA
  13. justice for sisters
  14. Kemban Kolektif
  15. KLSCAH Civil Rights Committee
  16. KRYSS Network
  17. Legal Dignity
  18. Life Under Umbrella
  19. MAJU
  20. New Era Alumni Association
  21. New Student Movement Alliance of Malaysia (NESA)
  22. Parti Sosialis Malaysia
  23. Pemuda Sosialis
  24. Persatuan Pemangkin Kesedaran Sosial
  25. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor
  26. Pertubuhan Advokasi dan Kesejahteraan Pekak Malaysia
  27. PLUHO, People Like Us Hang Out!
  28. Ruang Komuniti P320
  29. Sarawak OKU Skills Development Association
  30. Save Malaysia Stop Lynas
  31. Sisters in Islam (SIS)
  32. Society for Equality, Respect and Trust for All Sabah (SERATA)
  33. Society for the Promotion of Human Rights Malaysia (PROHAM)
  34. Student Progressive Front UUM (SPFUUM)
  35. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
  36. Suara Siswa Universiti Malaya
  37. Suara Siswa UUM
  38. Tamil Foundation Malaysia
  39. TARANY
  40. Teoh Beng Hock Trust for Democracy
  41. The Women Development organisation Malaysia PJ New Town Branch
  42. UMANY
  43. Universiti Malaya Students’ Union
  44. Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO)
  45. Women’s Centre for Change (WCC)

Individual endorses :

  1. Kenneth Cheng