The arrest of Howard Lee, the president of International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) and also the DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) international secretary, and other elected representatives and social activists by the police prior, during and after Bersih 5 has put the nation in shame in the eyes of the international community.
Earlier today, the Office of the IUSY president received a notification from Tibor Szanyi, Member of the European Parliament from Hungary, that a motion was filed to the EU parliament’s Human Rights Commission on the increasing concern on the human rights situation in Malaysia generally, and the arrest of Howard Lee and others activists. The motion requires a written answer from the European Parliament.
At the same time, since the arrest of Howard Lee two days ago, at least 19 political parties or organisations worldwide (as listed below) have expressed their condemn against Howard Lee’s arrest. They are also urging the Malaysian government to respect human rights.
The Malaysian government has already been described as a government of kleptocracy in the US Justice Department (DOJ) suit on 1MDB. The undemocratic, unreasonable and unconstitutional arrest of Howard Lee and others activists who were merely exercising their constitutional rights of assembly and expression, has again spotlighted the nation at the global level for the wrong reasons.
Howard Lee was arrested and investigated under Section 147 (rioting) and Section 511 (attempt to commit an offence) under the Penal Code. The Bersih 5 rally has proven to be peaceful and law-abiding, and there is no reason to justify Howard Lee’s arrest which is now nearing 45 hours. (Note: Howard Lee has since been released.)
Dapsy urges the police and the Malaysian government to immediately release all those who were arrested in furtherance with the rally, and to restore the constitutional rights of the citizen to assembly, and the actual spirit under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 which was passed after Bersih 2.0 in 2011.
List of International Bodies that have expressed solidarity and condemn the arrest of Howard Lee:-
1) Societas Hungary
Societas - Youth Hungary
2) The National Youth Forum (Italy)
3) Giovani Socialisti Frosinoni - Italy
4) Juventud Fretilin (Timor Leste)
5) Democratic Youth Union of East Kurdistan - Iraq
6) Akbayan Citizens' Action Party (Philippines)
7) Young European Socialists - Europe
8) Socialitiztische Jugend Deutschlands - Germany
9) Progressive Alliance - Europe
10) Youth Union - BSP (Bulgaria)
11) Party of European Socialists
Forum Nazionale Giovani - italy
12) Jovenes por la Democracia Social (Venezuela)
13) Jovenes Nuevo Espacio (Uruguay)
14) Socialist Youth of Austria
Intl Union of Socialist Youth
15) Global Progressives Forum (EU Parliament)
16) GD Federazione di Imperia (Italy)
17) Sveriges Socialdemokratiska Ongdomsförbund (SSU) Sweden
18) Federazione dei Giovani Socialiste (Italy)
19) Sozialistische Jugend Österreich - Austria
Societas - Youth Hungary
2) The National Youth Forum (Italy)
3) Giovani Socialisti Frosinoni - Italy
4) Juventud Fretilin (Timor Leste)
5) Democratic Youth Union of East Kurdistan - Iraq
6) Akbayan Citizens' Action Party (Philippines)
7) Young European Socialists - Europe
8) Socialitiztische Jugend Deutschlands - Germany
9) Progressive Alliance - Europe
10) Youth Union - BSP (Bulgaria)
11) Party of European Socialists
Forum Nazionale Giovani - italy
12) Jovenes por la Democracia Social (Venezuela)
13) Jovenes Nuevo Espacio (Uruguay)
14) Socialist Youth of Austria
Intl Union of Socialist Youth
15) Global Progressives Forum (EU Parliament)
16) GD Federazione di Imperia (Italy)
17) Sveriges Socialdemokratiska Ongdomsförbund (SSU) Sweden
18) Federazione dei Giovani Socialiste (Italy)
19) Sozialistische Jugend Österreich - Austria