Zunar's merchandise seizure case against police goes to trial

A lawyer for cartoonist Zunar informed the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today that her client had failed to reach a mediation settlement over the seizure of his merchandise by the police in 2016.

As a result, Justice Hue Siew Kheng has fixed trial dates on April 9, 10, 16, 17, and 18.

Zunar's lawyer Latheefa Koya informed reporters of this after case management today.

It was reported that the international award-winning cartoonist, whose real name is Zulkiflee SM Anwar Ulhaque, had filed a suit on Aug 16 last year.

This followed the seizure of over 1,000 cartoon books and 100 T-shirts which Zunar had been selling during a "Tea with Zunar" event, held at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall on Dec 17, 2016.

Zunar had named the investigating officer DSP M Gunalan and 17 police personnel, the inspector-general of police and the government in the suit, in which he also sought a declaration that his right to freedom of expression had been violated by the defendants.

In his statement of claim, Zunar alleged that before the event began, the police arrived and arrested his assistant who was selling the books and T-shirts.

He is seeking special damages totalling RM22,388 for the seizure of 103 T-shirts, and 1,089 cartoon books comprising nine titles from the private event.

The books were seized although none of the nine book titles had been banned from sale to the public by the authorities.

The titles of the nine books seized are "Wasabi Wa Sapu Billion", "Sapuman: Man of Steel," "Ros in Kangkong Land," "Pirates of the Carrry-BN," "Isu dalam Kartun Alternatif Reformasi Sarkastik," "The Conspiracy to Convict Anwar, Najib Convicts Judges Follow," "Showcase Kumpulan Kartunis Independen," "Hikayat Pak Monggol dan Scorpene," and "Hikayat Lembu-lembu Kondo."

He claimed the police had acted discriminatorily against him by causing trouble, which violated the Police Act 1964 and the Federal Constitution, and was meant to tarnish his reputation.

Besides special damages, the cartoonist is seeking aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as damages for wrongful arrest, false imprisonment, trespass of goods, negligence, and breach of statutory duty.

Zunar was awarded the Cartooning for Peace Award in Geneva in May 2016, and he has also received the Human Rights Watch Hellman/Hammett grant, and the International Press Freedom Award, the latter given by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists.- Mkini