Suaram, LFL say AG should drop other sedition charges too

Suara Rakyat Malaysia says Sedition Act does not make sense in modern times.

PETALING JAYA: Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) has hailed the decision to drop the sedition charge against law lecturer, Azmi Sharom, as an important step in their campaign against the draconian law.

Its Executive Director, Sevan Doraisamy said Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali’s next move should now be to drop all charges and cases pertaining to the sedition act involving other individuals in the country.

“Because it (Sedition Act) doesn’t make sense in the modern era and it’s crushing the freedom of expression.

“Instead of repealing the law, it has been increasingly used against political dissidents, civil society and people expressing their opinion through social media,” he told FMT.

Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) Director Eric Paulsen, echoed a similar sentiment, stating the AG should not stop at just withdrawing the charge against Azmi, but withdraw “all charges against everyone.”

Paulsen, who has been charged for sedition himself, conceded freedom of speech was not absolute but stood firm that there were alternative laws that could be used instead to address unlawful speeches.

“For example, there are other laws in the Penal Code that can handle any speeches that incite violence and hatred,” he said when contacted.

He reminded the AG that Prime Minister Najib Razak had repeatedly promised to replace the Sedition Act with the National Harmony Act, and urged the former to pursue that path once again.

“We urge the AG to re-look at the National Harmony Act (Bill), so that it can be used in the case of sedition.”

Apandi had earlier today announced the case against Azmi was dropped “in the interest of justice” and after he had reviewed the testimony of all witnesses who appeared in court.

Azmi was hauled to court in 2014 for remarks made in an August 14 news report in the same year titled, “Take Perak crisis route for speedy end to Selangor impasse, Pakatan told”.