MEDIA STATEMENT (14 March 2015)
The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH 2.0) strongly condemns the arrest of activist Adam Adli and BERSIH 2.0 secretariat staff Mandeep Singh.
Information received from sources on the ground is sketchy, but from what we could establish as of now, they were arrested following today’s weekly#KitaLawan protest at Sogo. Their arrest follows several other high-profile arrests, including that of Seri Setia assemblyperson Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, after the larger #KitaLawan rally on 7 March.
These arrests are a violation of the right of all Malaysians to freedom of expression and assembly. In our view, they constitute an attempt by the authorities to stifle dissent and sweep under the carpet inconvenient questions on what is happening in Malaysia.
We deplore the actions by the police and strongly urge that Mandeep Singh and Adam Adli be released immediately.
Issued by,
The Steering Committee of BERSIH 2.0, which comprises –
Chairperson: Maria Chin Abdullah; Deputy Chairperson: Sarajun Hoda Abdul Hassan; Treasurer: Masjaliza Hamzah; national representatives: Assoc. Prof. Dr Abdul Halim bin Yusof, Farhana binti Abdul Halim, Fadiah Nadwa Fikri and New Sin Yew; vice-chairpersons: Jannie Lasimbang (Sabah), Ahmad b. Awang Ali (Sarawak), Abd Halim b. Wan Ismail (East Peninsula), Thomas Fann (South Peninsula), Simon Lee Ying Wai (Central Peninsula) and Dato’ Dr Toh Kin Woon (North Peninsula).
These arrests are a violation of the right of all Malaysians to freedom of expression and assembly. In our view, they constitute an attempt by the authorities to stifle dissent and sweep under the carpet inconvenient questions on what is happening in Malaysia.
We deplore the actions by the police and strongly urge that Mandeep Singh and Adam Adli be released immediately.
Issued by,
The Steering Committee of BERSIH 2.0, which comprises –
Chairperson: Maria Chin Abdullah; Deputy Chairperson: Sarajun Hoda Abdul Hassan; Treasurer: Masjaliza Hamzah; national representatives: Assoc. Prof. Dr Abdul Halim bin Yusof, Farhana binti Abdul Halim, Fadiah Nadwa Fikri and New Sin Yew; vice-chairpersons: Jannie Lasimbang (Sabah), Ahmad b. Awang Ali (Sarawak), Abd Halim b. Wan Ismail (East Peninsula), Thomas Fann (South Peninsula), Simon Lee Ying Wai (Central Peninsula) and Dato’ Dr Toh Kin Woon (North Peninsula).