KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has expressed concerns over the arrest of organisers and activists, and the seizure of their belongings, over a planned assembly.
"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," it said in a statement today.
With the spike of Covid-19 new cases in the country especially in the Klang Valley, the commission said it recognised 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.
It advised 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 called for the organisers 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," read the statement.
It urged the authorities to facilitate the peaceful assembly by providing an adequate space at an appropriate location for the assembly to take place, enabling physical distancing and health screening of the participants to be conducted safely.
It also expressed hopes that all parties including the police and the organisers would collaborate in order to achieve a win-win solution, in line with respecting the rights for peaceful assembly whilst managing current public health SOP and Covid-19 pandemic.