PRESS STATEMENT
For immediate release
September 18, 2013
KOMAS Staff charged for “No Fire Zone Screening”
Lena Hendry, one of the three people arrested in conjunction with the screening of “No Fire Zone” was asked to present herself in KL Magistrate Court on the September 19, 2013 to be charged.
On July 3, 2013, KOMAS program officer Ms Lena Hendry, Executive Director Mr Arul Prakkash and one of the Board of Directors Ms Anna Har were arrested during the screening of the film “No Fire Zone, the Killing Fields of Sri Lanka”. The film screening was raided by the KDN (Home Ministry), the Police and the Immigration Department.
They were questioned for more than 3 hours on the night of 3rd July 2013 and released on police bail to appear at the Magistrates’ court on August 6th at 9am. However, on August 5, 2013, PUSAT KOMAS Executive Director Arul Prakkash received a call from Ms Akilah Binti Bakri (KDN Investigating officer) instructing all 3 persons not to appear in court on August 6th as charges had not been filed. She further informed them that KDN would be contacting them after the Hari Raya holidays.
Today more than a month after the Raya holidays, the KDN issued a notice informing KOMAS that Ms Lena Hedry would be charged and for her to appear in the Magistrate court on September 19, 2013 to be charged under the film censorship act.
The film “No Fire Zone, the Killing Fields of Sri Lanka is a credible and highly regarded documentary film which showcases the human rights violations in Sri Lanka inflicted by the government and military against its citizens. It was quite obvious that the Malaysian authorities seem to be dictated to by the Sri Lankan government because on the day of the film screening on July 3, 2013, Sri Lankan embassy representatives had gone to the venue to try and stop the screening event.
Ironically the Malaysia authorities seem to “close one eye, and sometimes both eyes to films which actually incite racism and discrimination. The government often endorses and even funds these productions which are also allowed to be screened in public cinemas nationwide.
The initial arrest of the 3 during the film screening was indeed unnecessary and nonsensical. It was an overkill to deploy more than 30 officers from the KDN, Police and Immigration then to stop and peaceful and educative event. Now to ridiculously proceed with this travesty of justice by the charging of Lena Hendry is evident of the KDN and the AG Chambers’ bully tactics and total disregard of universal human rights principles and worse of all, the Malaysian Constitution.
This is the utmost form of harassment and direct violation of freedom of speech, assembly and association by the Malaysian authorities guaranteed for under Article 10 of the Malaysian Constitution. It is sad that Malaysia being part of the Human Rights Council should in fact be defenders instead of persecutors of human rights activists.
We strongly urge the KDN and the Attorney General Chambers to come to their senses and immediately drop the charges and cease all investigations into the film screening incident. There is definitely no cause to prolong this intimidation and harassment using the strong arm tactics of the law and abusing government agencies against human rights defenders.
Tan Jo Hann, Director
PUSAT KOMAS Sdn. Bhd.