The English branch of international writers' organisation PEN is calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Malaysian blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin saying that it is in violation of Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. RPK was sentenced without trial to two-years in prison on 22 September 2008 under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for his critical writings published online.(Although was it really that article on Islam that got him detained or his piece linking the wife of a very high profile politician to a spectacularly gruesome murder? I am very confused. I guess we have no way of knowing what the truth is since the case against him won't come to trial.)
PEN also provide a list of contacts to whom you can make your appeal. And should you be so inspired, you can buy a t-shirt to support RPK here.
3 comments:
Have ordered the T-shirts; sent him a card; plan to send him books, but the thing is, one feels so very helpless. Angry, outraged and very disturbed, yes, but still - quite helpless.
saras
This is interesting. I wouldn't have thought the rest of the world is acquainted with Malaysian politics.
PEN do keep an eye on things here, and CIJ has also been very helpful in liaising with them.
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