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Urgent appeal: 10 November 2007

At least 20 arrested in peaceful rally for free and fair elections

At least 20 persons, including women, were reported to have been arrested during a peaceful rally this afternoon (10 November 2007) in Kuala Lumpur. They are currently being held at IPK Jalan Hang Tuah.

The rally calling for free and fair elections in Malaysia was organised by BERSIH, a coalition of over 70 civil society groups and political parties, including SUARAM. The organisers had applied for a police permit on 3 November 2007 but their application was rejected by the police.

The arbitrary arrests by the police during the rally is a gross violation of Article 10 of the Federal Constitution, which is the highest law in the country, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

Despite the fact that the organisers have given assurances that it will take all measures to ensure peace and public order, the police still attempted to stop the rally even before it even started by setting up roadblocks in several locations near the venue and arrested 20 persons who were merely exercising their Constitutional rights to demand for free and fair elections.

So far, 15 names of those arrested have been obtained. They are:

1. Salleh Puteh (Male)

2. Anuar Abdul Ghani (Male)

3. Muhammad Haji Yaakub (Male)

4. Mariel Fong (Female)

5. Hasnah Hashim (Female)

6. Raja Salim (Male)

7. Asri (Male)

8. Mohd. Afrarouk Hussin (Male)

9. Daud Samad (Male)

10. Yahya Mohd Nor (Male)

11. Wan Zulkifli (Male)

12. Mohd. Mohd. Awu (Male)

13. Zainal Abidin Haji Abdullah (Male)

14. Elias Raja Daud Raja Abdullah (Male)

15. Mohd Ehsan Mokhtar (Male)

Actions needed

Please send letters to the Prime Minister and the Inspector-General of Police to register your strongest condemnation towards the utter disrespect for Malaysians' fundamental rights to freedom of assembly and to demand for the release of all those arrested.

Your letters should be sent to:

1. Tan Sri Musa Hassan
Inspector-General of Police
Ibu Pejabat Polis Diraja Malaysia
Bukit Aman
50560 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +603 2262 6222
Fax: +603 2273 9602

2. Dato' Seri Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi
Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Security
Prime Minister's Office Malaysia
Perdana Putra Building,
Federal Government Administrative Centre,
62502 PUTRAJAYA,
Selangor, Malaysia.
Tel: + 60 3 8888 6000
Fax: + 60 3 8888 3444

Cc:

1. Ibu Pejabat Polis Kontinjen Kuala Lumpur

Polis Diraja Malaysia

Jalan Hang Tuah

51100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-21460522, 03-2485522

Faks: 03-20726786

CPO: Datuk Zul Hasnan Najib Baharudin

2. Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM)

Tingkat 29, Menara Tun Razak Jalan Raja Laut 50350Kuala Lumpur.Tel: 03-26125600

Fax: 03-26125620

Chaiman: Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman

3. Attorney General of Malaysia. Aras 1-8, Block C3, Parcel C Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan 62512 PutrajayaTel: 03-88855000

Fax: 03-88889378

Email: ag@agc.gov.my

AG of Malaysia: Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail

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SAMPLE LETTER

[Letterhead of organisation]

10 November 2007

Tan Sri Musa Hassan
Inspector-General of Police
Ibu Pejabat Polis Diraja Malaysia
Bukit Aman
50560 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +603 2262 6222
Fax: +603 2273 9602

Dear Sir,

Peaceful demonstrators arbitrarily and unlawfully arrested by police; release them immediately

We are writing to you to register our strongest condemnation and protest against the arbitrary and unlawful arrests of at least 20 citizens who were participating in a peaceful rally in Dataran Merdeka this afternoon (10 November 2007).

So far, 15 names of those arrested have been obtained. They are:

1. Salleh Puteh (Male)

2. Anuar Abdul Ghani (Male)

3. Muhammad Haji Yaakub (Male)

4. Mariel Fong (Female)

5. Hasnah Hashim (Female)

6. Raja Salim (Male)

7. Asri (Male)

8. Mohd. Afrarouk Hussin (Male)

9. Daud Samad (Male)

10. Yahya Mohd Nor (Male)

11. Wan Zulkifli (Male)

12. Mohd. Mohd. Awu (Male)

13. Zainal Abidin Haji Abdullah (Male)

14. Elias Raja Daud Raja Abdullah (Male)

15. Mohd Ehsan Mokhtar (Male)

The arbitrary arrests by the police during the rally is a gross violation of Article 10 of the Federal Constitution, which is the highest law in the country, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

Despite the fact that the organisers have given assurances that it will take all measures to ensure peace and public order, the police still attempted to stop the rally even before it even started by setting up roadblocks in several locations near the venue and arrested at least 20 peaceful demonstrators who were merely exercising their Constitutional rights to demand for free and fair elections.

With such a blatant disregard for its own citizens' fundamental rights, we question the legitimacy of Malaysia as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

We therefore demand that all those arrested by the police be released immediately.

Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely yours,

[Name]

CC:

Dato' Seri Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi
Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Security
Prime Minister's Office Malaysia
Perdana Putra Building,
Federal Government Administrative Centre,
62502 PUTRAJAYA,
Selangor, Malaysia.
Tel: + 60 3 8888 6000
Fax: + 60 3 8888 3444

Ibu Pejabat Polis Kontinjen Kuala Lumpur

Polis Diraja Malaysia

Jalan Hang Tuah

51100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-21460522, 03-2485522

Faks: 03-20726786

CPO: Datuk Zul Hasnan Najib Baharudin

Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM)

Tingkat 29, Menara Tun Razak Jalan Raja Laut 50350Kuala Lumpur.Tel: 03-26125600

Fax: 03-26125620

Chaiman: Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman

Attorney General of Malaysia. Aras 1-8, Block C3, Parcel C Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan 62512 PutrajayaTel: 03-88855000

Fax: 03-88889378

Email: ag@agc.gov.my

AG of Malaysia: Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail