January 12, 2000
January 12, 2000
Contact HRF Communications (212) 845 5245 media@humanrightsfirst.orgRights Group Condemns Arrest of Anwar Ibrahim’s Lawyer
Arrest of Malaysian on Sedition Charges Violates International Law
New York -- Human Rights First condemned the arrest earlier today of Karpal Singh, a prominent Malaysian lawyer who has been representing former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in a trial on sodomy charges. The arrest, on allegations of sedition, relate to remarks made by Karpal during court proceedings against Anwar. "Malaysia has again resorted to strong-arm tactics to silence its critics, rather than playing by the rules of international law," said Robert O. Varenik, Director of Human Rights First’s Protection Program.
Karpal’s arrest was based on comments he made in court suggesting that his client may have been poisoned while detained in prison. This is not the first time Malaysia has attempted to punish a lawyer for critical comments in a legal proceeding. Another Anwar lawyer, Zainur Zakaria, was charged with criminal contempt after filing papers—backed by evidence—alleging that prosecutors tried to fabricate evidence against Anwar. "This arrest is another in a series of attacks against lawyers willing to represent disfavored clients like Anwar," stated Varenik. "This type of action illustrates the government’s unwillingness to play by the rules of free speech and access to lawyers enshrined in international law."
The arrest of Karpal follows that of three other opposition party figures, all on charges of sedition. The coordinated nature of the arrests raises questions about the propriety of the charges. The Sedition Act of 1948, a colonial era law, is expansively written to criminalize any speech that might "bring into hatred or contempt or excite disaffection" against the government.
Common international standards governing treatment of lawyers worldwide, the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, provides that "Lawyers shall enjoy civil and penal immunity for relevant statements made in good faith in written or oral pleadings or in their professional appearances before a court."