Anwar, Azmin to be charged over Bersih 3.0

PKR's top two leaders - Anwar Ibrahim and Azmin Ali - are expected to be charged tomorrow in relation to the Bersih 3.0 rally.

According to a notice that was served to Azmin, he is accused of violating Section 188 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 109 and Section 34 of the same law.

Section 188 refers to "disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant", while Section 109 and Section 34 refer to abetment.

The notice to Azmin said he and five others who are still at large, had conspired with R Tangam, G Rajesh Kumar and Farhan Ibrahim @ Alias to breach a court order issued by Magistrate Zaki Asyraf Zubir on April 26.

Azmin is accused of abetting and inciting Tangam, Rajesh Kumar and Farhan to breach the barricade surrounding Dataran Merdeka.

The notice also stated that the breach could have caused a riot or clashes in the area.

A separate notice stated that Azmin had participated in a street protest with the intention of protesting against Zaki Asyraf's court order.

The notice said that this constitutes an offence under Section 4(2)(c) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, and is liable to a maximum fine of RM10,000 described in Section 4(3) of same law.

Hand gestures

It is understood that Anwar is facing similar charges. This will make the duo the first persons to be charged under the newly-passed Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.

The charge is believed to be in relations to the infamous hand signal exchange between Anwar and Azmin seconds before the first breach of the barricades.

Various videos circulating on the Internet depicted Azmin gesturing and pointing over his back while Anwar was depicted gesturing to the former with both hands in a rolling motion.

Seconds later, while Azmin was trying to get down from an elevated platform after the exchange, a man standing behind him appeared to have lifted a metal barricade.

The man behind Azmin was later identified as Tangam, who has been charged on May 3 under Section 143 of the Penal Code for participating in an unlawful assembly, which was read together with an alternative charge of breaching a court order under Section 188 of the Penal Code.

Tangam was the first to be charged over the rally. Two others that have been charged for similar offences are lawyerRajesh Kumar Gejinder Nathand Farhan, who is also a PKR Youth exco member.

Anwar and Azmin have denied claims that the exchange of hand gestures had anything to do with the breach.

Anwar claimed that his hand signals were instructions for Azmin tonegotiate with the police, while the later claimed he gestured back to inform him that the negotiations were completed. 

[More to follow]