Review NFA on animal ‘torture porn’ report, urge UK and US groups

 

Lady Freethinker and Action for Primates say there is a vocal online community expressing its hatred towards monkeys, mainly targeting long-tailed macaques in Southeast Asia. (AP pic)

PETALING JAYA: Two animal rights groups based in the UK and the US have urged the authorities to review the decision to classify a police report on the alleged torture of baby long-tailed macaque as “no further action” (NFA).

The UK’s Action for Primates, and the US-based Lady Freethinker said they were dismayed by the Malaysian authorities’ failure to take action over the report, adding that the suspected perpetrator’s actions were sadistic.

“We appeal to the Malaysian authorities to reconsider this case, so that those responsible are held to account for these atrocities, and others are deterred from taking part in such appalling behaviour.

“Such animal cruelty must never be tolerated,” they said in a joint statement.

In January, animal rights group Hak Asasi Hidupan Liar Malaysia (Hidup) filed a police report over the alleged torture of baby long-tailed macaques, after a tip-off from the two groups.

The alleged perpetrator had recorded the torture of the primates and sold the footage on a Telegram group named “Monkey Haters”. The perpetrator charged a fee if anyone in the group wanted to watch the full videos.

The footage of the torture is said to have included mutilating, dismembering, hitting the monkeys with blunt objects, burning, boiling and skinning them alive.

Earlier this month, Shah Alam criminal investigation department (CID) director Shukri Ayob confirmed that the police report on the matter had been classified as NFA by the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).

Lawyer-activist Rajesh Nagarajan had said his clients instructed him to write to the AGC to find out why there would be no further action.

Lady Freethinker and Action for Primates said there has been a vocal online community expressing its hatred towards monkeys, mainly targeting long-tailed macaques in Southeast Asia.

They pointed out that a similar case in Indonesia led to Asep Yadi Nurul Hikmah sentenced to three years in prison and a five million rupiah fine for filming the torture of baby money and posting it online.

“Lady Freethinker and Action for Primates also call on social media and video sharing platforms to take immediate action to stop the proliferation of animal torture content that is being posted online,” the statement added. - FMT