5 Arrested for Involved in Peaceful Rally at Penang- 2 more arrested in Balai Polis Jalan Patani

Prime Minister of Malaysia
Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Prime Minister's Office Malaysia
Perdana Putra Building,
Federal Government Administrative Centre,
62502 PUTRAJAYA,
Selangor, Malaysia.
Tel: + 60 3 8888 6000
Fax: + 60 3 8888 3444

Dear Sir,

Re: 5 Arrested for Involved in Peaceful Rally at Penang- 2 more arrested in Balai Polis Jalan Patani

We are writing to express our outrage over your government's latest round of assault on the freedom of assembly. On 11 May 2008, 7 individuals were arrested by the police for attending a peaceful rally intended to demand release of ISA detainees in Kamunting and proper treatment to the Hindraf leader Uthayakumar.

We question the need to resort to such actions, especially when the organisers of this peaceful march had tried to negotiate and shown willingness to cooperate with the police. We view this as yet another attempt by your government to intimidate Malaysian citizens from participating in any form of public assembly.

We demand that all those arrested be released immediately and unconditionally. We further demand that your government stop the assault on freedom of assembly.

We strongly urge you to stop shaming Malaysia, a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council. We would like to remind you that freedom of assembly is guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as the Federal Constitution of Malaysia.

Yours sincerely,

NYAM KEE HAN

Coordinator

Suaram JB

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