Datuk Jamal Yunos greeted by supporters after his release last night at the Dang Wangi police station in Kuala Lumpur. Unlike opposition leaders and activists detained over sedition, the police did not seek remand for the Umno leader. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, September 27, 2015.
The release of Sungai Besar Umno division chief Datuk Jamal Yunos after overnight detention is proof that the authorities practise double standards practised by authorities, rights lawyer Eric Paulsen said after police decided not to remand the "red shirt" rally leader.
Paulsen, who heads Lawyers for Liberty, said although they have always maintained that the threshold for freedom of speech must be high, it had its limitations in exceptional circumstances such as in the case of incitement to violence and hate speech.
"We are shocked by the blatant double standards that are being applied to Umno or pro-Umno personalities like Jamal Yunos while cracking down hard on dissidents and opposition politicians for anything that is remotely controversial."
He questioned the remand of opposition politicians, activists and dissidents over peaceful assemblies and innocuous speeches, when Jamal was only detained overnight despite allegedly inciting violence and threatening a racial riot.
"Treating him with kid gloves while applying for remand for upright citizens like Ambiga, Adam Adli, Hishamudin Rais can only reflect badly upon the authorities," he told The Malaysian Insider in reacting to Jamal's release last night.
Asked whether Jamal should be remanded, Paulsen (pic, right) said,"If applying consistency of practice, the gravity of the offence, etc, yes he should."
Jamal was detained on Friday night in connection with a protest that was to have taken place yesterday at Petaling Street.
The protest was cancelled on the advice of the police.
Kuala Lumpur CID chief Datuk Zainudin Ahmad said Jamal was detained to facilitate investigations into his alleged statement that there would be a riot at Petaling Street yesterday.
Meanwhile, electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah said Jamal should be behind bars for "whipping up" racial sentiments instead of former Datuk Khairuddin Abu Hassan, who is being held for 29 days under Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, or Sosma, after lodging reports over debt-ridden 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
Maria (pic, left) said Khairuddin, like many Malaysians, was merely seeking answers to the scandals surrounding the Financy Ministry-owned firm.
After lodging a string of police reports over the 1MDB issue with foreign authorities, Khairuddin was detained under Section 124C of the Penal Code and was later re-arrested under Sosma.
In the past, opposition politicians and activists have been remanded for up to six days, including those arrested in the lead up to the #TangkapNajib rally in Kuala Lumpur recently.
"If it had been other social activists, they would have been jailed longer. Just look at what happened during Bersih 3. Someone broke the barricade (to Dataran Merdeka) and was immediately arrested," said Maria.
She said Jamal should be investigated for "criminal intimidation".
"The authorities definitely want to silence (Khairuddin) compared to the people behind the 'red shirt' rally. I believe the 'red shirt' rally was for the prime minister and intended to divert attention," she said.
"And how they are treating Jamal reflects that sentiment.
"The police should investigate Jamal further. What he has done is uncalled for. What has Khairuddin done to be jailed? Lodging police reports is not a crime," she said.
- TMI
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.