Thursday, September 22, 2016

Sad day for HR Defenders when High Court overturns acquittal of Lena Hendry?

A sad day for Human Rights Defenders when the High Court overturned the acquittal by the Magistrate court for woman human rights defender Lena Hendry...


See related posts:-

Lena Hendry's case - No more showing VDOs without goverment approval?

Lena Hendry - Drop Charges says ICJ, Article 19, FIDH, Front Line, OMCT & 116 other groups

High Court orders activist Lena Hendry to enter defence

  Alyaa Alhadjri     Published   
 
Activist Lena Hendry has been ordered to enter her defence after the High Court in Kuala Lumpur allowed the prosecution's appeal against her acquittal for a charge under the Film Censorship Act 2002.
 
Her lawyer, New Sin Yew, told Malaysiakini that the decision was delivered by judge Mohamad Shariff Abu Samah today.

"The case will be heard by the same magistrate (who acquitted her). The Magistrate's Court will contact us for the new (hearing) dates," said New.

The programme manager at NGO Pusat Komas was charged in September 2013 for allegedly screening 'No Fire Zone' - a documentary on the Sri Lankan civil war, which had not been approved by the Censorship Board.

Under Section 6(1)(b) of the Film Censorship Act, 2002, Lena would face up to three years’ jail or a fine not exceeding RM30,000, if convicted. 
 
She was accused of committing the offence at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Chamber of Commerce Hall at Jalan Maharajalela in Kuala Lumpur, at 9pm on July 3, 2013.

At the time, local and international human rights groups condemned the charge as being allegedly politically motivated and a breach of basic civil liberties.

The trial started in December last year, and Magistrate Mohd Rehan Mohd Aris on March 10, acquitted Hendry of the charge.- Malaysiakini, 21/9/2016

1 comment:

Hakimi Abdul Jabar said...

Just posted the issue on the Harvard Humanitarian Course Discussion Forum.