Review police procedures for public assemblies, says Suaram

 

Activist Harmit Singh was stopped by the police for going too close to the entrance of the US embassy during the GegarAmerika protest yesterday.

PETALING JAYA: A human rights watch group has called for the government to review police procedures for facilitating public assemblies, following yesterday’s temporary detention of an activist during an assembly staged outside of the US embassy.

“Prohibition of intimidation tactics should be prioritised, and the grounds for restrictions (must be) based on principles of necessity, proportionality and legitimacy,” said Suaram’s executive director, Sevan Doraisamy.

In a statement, Sevan added that police officers should go through “sensitisation training” to ensure that public assemblies are regulated according to human rights.

Activist Harmit Singh, 28, was stopped by the police and detained for going too close to the entrance of the US embassy during a GegarAmerika protest.

The police later released Harmit after the organiser submitted a memorandum to the embassy’s representative calling for the US to push for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Palestine, stop selling weapons to Israel, and “end Israeli impunity”.

Sevan said the detention was uncalled for as GegarAmerika had informed the police and the embassy of the assembly and the plan to submit a memorandum.

“There was no basis to presume that the rally would become violent, given the organiser’s full compliance with peaceful assembly procedures and traffic regulations.

“This arrest tramples on laws that safeguard the right to protest peacefully, and freedom of expression,” he said. - FMT