PRESS STATEMENT
KUALA LUMPUR (30 JULY 2021) – The COVID-19 pandemic has proven its ability to cause unprecedented challenges to human rights globally. Laws and regulations to restrict public gathering and freedom of movement have been implemented in many countries including Malaysia. Such restrictions should be imposed solely for the purpose of managing public health concerns, based on necessity.
With the spike of COVID-19 new cases in the country especially in the Klang Valley, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) recognizes the difficulties faced in efforts to juggle and balance between public health priorities and rights of the people to gather peacefully as granted in Part II, Article 10 (1)(b) of the Federal Constitution which states that all citizens have the right to assemble peaceably and without arms.
Whilst understanding the complexity of the situation, SUHAKAM, however, expresses its concerns over the arrest of organizers and the activists of a planned assembly whilst their belongings were confiscated by the police. SUHAKAM advises the authorities, in particular the police, that they have an obligation both, legally and morally to facilitate peaceful assemblies and to protect freedom of expression. Therefore, SUHAKAM wishes to remind the Government of its commitments following the 3rd Universal Periodic Review (UPR) cycle in 2018, whereby the Government accepted all recommendations to revise the Peaceful Assembly Act in order to eliminate discrimination and hindrance to the peaceful assembly.
SUHAKAM also calls for the organizers and all individuals participating in the peaceful assembly to observe and strictly comply with the standard operating procedures (SOP) at all times. Those with COVID-19 symptoms or comorbidities should restrain themselves from participating in the peaceful assembly.
SUHAKAM urges the authorities to facilitate the peaceful assembly by providing an adequate space at an appropriate location for the assembly to take place, thereby enabling physical distancing and health screening of the participants to be conducted safely. SUHAKAM hopes that all parties including the police and the organizers are able to collaborate in order to achieve a win-win solution, in line with respecting the rights for peaceful assembly whilst managing current public health SoPs and COVID-19 pandemic.
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Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM)
30 July 2021
Media queries: Contact Mrs. Norashikin Hamzah at 03-2612 5687 / 019-621 5336 or shikin@suhakam.org.my
KENYATAAN MEDIA
KUALA LUMPUR (30 JULAI 2021) – Pandemik COVID-19 telah membuktikan kemampuannya untuk menyebabkan cabaran yang tidak pernah terjadi sebelum ini kepada hak asasi manusia di seluruh dunia. Undang-undang dan peraturan bagi menyekat perhimpunan awam dan kebebasan bergerak telah dilaksanakan oleh banyak negara termasuk Malaysia. Sekatan tersebut seharusnya dikenakan hanya dengan tujuan untuk menangani isu berkaitan kesihatan awam berdasarkan keperluan.
Dengan lonjakan kes COVID-19 di seluruh negara terutamanya di kawasan Lembah Klang, Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia Malaysia (SUHAKAM) mengiktiraf kesukaran yang dihadapi dalam usaha untuk menangani dan mengimbangi kepentingan kesihatan awam dan hak rakyat untuk berhimpun secara aman seperti yang termaktub dalam Bahagian II, Perkara 10(1)(b) Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang menyatakan bahawa semua warganegara mempunyai hak untuk berhimpun secara aman tanpa senjata.
Meskipun memahami kerumitan situasi ini, SUHAKAM bimbang terhadap penahanan pihak penganjur dan aktivis perhimpunan serta rampasan barangan milik mereka oleh pihak polis. SUHAKAM menasihatkan agar pihak berkuasa, terutamanya pihak polis, bahawa mereka mempunyai kewajipan moral dan undang-undang untuk memudah cara perhimpunan aman dan memelihara hak untuk bersuara. Sehubungan itu, SUHAKAM ingin mengingatkan Kerajaan akan komitmennya dalam Kitaran Ketiga Penilaian Berkala Sejagat (UPR) pada 2018, bahawa Kerajaan menerima semua syor-syor untuk menilai semula Akta Perhimpunan Aman bagi menghapuskan diskriminasi dan halangan kepada perhimpunan aman.
SUHAKAM juga menyeru agar pihak penganjur dan semua individu yang ingin menyertai perhimpunan aman untuk memantau dan mematuhi prosedur operasi standard (SoP) pada setiap masa. Mereka yang mempunyai simptom COVID-19 atau golongan berisiko tinggi perlu menghindari daripada menyertai perhimpunan aman.
SUHAKAM menggesa pihak berkuasa untuk memudah cara perhimpunan aman dengan menyediakan ruang yang mencukupi di kawasan yang bersesuaian agar perhimpunan dapat diadakan, dan membolehkan penjarakan sosial dan saringan kesihatan terhadap peserta dapat dijalankan dengan selamat. SUHAKAM berharap agar semua pihak termasuk pihak polis dan penganjur dapat bekerjasama bagi mencapai situasi menang-menang, selari dengan memenuhi hak untuk berhimpun secara aman sementara menangani pandemik COVID-19 dan isu kesihatan awam.
-TAMAT-
Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia Malaysia (SUHAKAM)
30 Julai 2021
Pertanyaan Media: Sila hubungi Pn. Norashikin Hamzah melalui 03-2612 5687 / 019-621 5336 atau shikin@suhakam.org.my
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