The imprisonment of 13 PAS supporters for protesting the swearing-in of Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir in 2009 was politically motivated to punish opponents of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN), a civil liberties group alleged today.
Calling the decision to sentence the 13 to two years’ jail each and subsequently deny a stay of execution pending appeal as appalling, Lawyers for Liberty today said the shocking move by the Kuala Kangsar Sessions Court yesterday also ignored basic precepts of justice.
“The judge’s shocking and unconscionable decision in not allowing stay did not take into account the basic legal principle that the appeal would be made nugatory if the stay was refused and the successful appellants would not be able to enjoy the fruits of their labour,” according to the group’s co-founder, Eric Paulsen, in a statement today.
“We call upon the courts to uphold our constitutional rights including freedom of speech, assembly and association and not make a mockery of the term ‘public interest’ by equating that with the interest of Barisan Nasional.”
Yesterday, Sessions Court Judge Norsalha Hamzah handed down two-year jail sentences and RM5,000 fines in default of five months’ jail to each of the 13, after ruling that the defence had failed to raise any reasonable doubt over the prosecution – source mmail
