Malaysia charges HR worker for screening Channel-4 documentary

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 September 2013, 23:36 GMT]
Lena Hendry, Programme coordinator for Malaysia-based human rights group Pusat Komas, is expected to be charged under the Film Censorship Act 2002 Thursday at the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate's Court for organizing the screening of Channel-4 documentary "No Fire Zone," a film on the massacre of Tamils by the Sri Lanka state, Malaysian media reported. Pusat Komas director Tan Jo Hann, in a statement said, "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," according to Malaysia's The Star.

"It is a baseless accusation and selective persecution based on pressure by a third party. Government agencies should be fair and just in carrying out their duties and not follow the hands of the political masters,” the Star quoted Hendry as saying after getting information of the impending charge.

The Malaysian Police operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs (Malay: Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN)) intervened on 3rd July in Kuala Lampur Kl/Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall when the “No Fire Zone” directed by Callum Macrae of Channel-4 organized by the Pusat Komas was being shown.

The KDN officers harrassed th attending journalists, but allowed the screening to continue, and later checked the identity cards of the attendees, and took three Komas officials to the local police station for questioning. The Komas event followed a parliamentary screening of the film where, according to Macrae, "MPs were visibly shocked and pledged themselves "to renew their calls for an independent international inquiry into all the crimes committed in the final months of the civil war.""

Chronology:


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External Links:

NFZ:		No Fire Zone
PC:		Malaysian Police Raid Screening of “No Fire Zone”