A three-day exhibition on deaths and torture in police custody organised by Malaysia’s prominent human rights non-governmental organisation Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) has been subjected to excessive and unjustifiable police intimidation. ARTICLE 19 condemns the excessive police presence and intimidation directed at SUARAM. Such actions not only hinder the work of human rights defenders but also instil fear in the public, discouraging them from engaging with and understanding issues related to police accountability.
On 18 December, the night before the exhibition opened, more than ten police officers from Timur Laut District Police Headquarters and the Central Police Station disrupted preparations being carried out by SUARAM staff. The police officers photographed props, questioned staff in an aggressive manner, and attempted to obtain staff’s identification cards. On 19 December, the day of the exhibition, police intimidation continued, as police officers patrolled the area and repeatedly attempted to enter the venue, undermining SUARAM’s efforts to foster dialogue on police accountability.
“The excessive police presence is a clear attempt to silence public discourse on police accountability and deaths and torture in police custody. This intimidation only exposes the authorities’ fear of legitimate scrutiny and the need for urgent reform of the police force,” said Nalini Elumalai, Senior Malaysia Programme Officer at ARTICLE 19.
SUARAM has held similar exhibitions in Selangor and Johor, this year, but these exhibitions were not subjected to similar intimidation from the police. The actions of the police reflect an alarming trend in Malaysia, where efforts to hold law enforcement accountable are increasingly met with censorship and repression. This intimidation mirrors the 2021 raid on SUARAM and the Freedom Film Network over the animated short film Chilli Powder and Thinner, which depicted Malaysian police officers torturing and abusing individuals in custody.
Police harassment of spaces that amplify legitimate public grievances contravenes Malaysia’s human rights obligations and weakens public trust in law enforcement.
“This intimidation is a blatant violation of the right to freedom of expression and undermines the duties of human rights organisations to promote and protect human rights. As a former political prisoner, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s pledges to address deaths in custody ring hollow when police continue to target civil society with impunity. These actions weaken Malaysia’s commitments to human rights and institutional reform,” said Nalini Elumalai.
ARTICLE 19 calls on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution to put an end to police harassment of civil society organisations and uphold the right to freedom of expression. Without decisive action, the Madani government risks betraying its commitments to justice and accountability, leaving systemic abuses unchallenged.
For more information
Nalini Elumalai, Senior Malaysia Programme Officer [email protected].