irene fernandez

yesterday was another sad day where the judiciary is concern. irene ferandez was found guilty.

do you remember the irene fernandez case? it was the longest trial in malaysia.

to jog your memory…… irene fernandez is from ‘tenaganita‘ a rights group that focus on women and migrant workers. her trial began on 10 june 1996. she was charged under section 8A(2) of the printing presses and publications act 1984 with “maliciously publishing false news” for releasing a memorandum at a press conference on august 1995 on the alleged torture and death in immigration detention camps. the report also mentioned beatings and sexual attacks against detainees by prison guards. she had also said Malaysia’s immigration detention camps did not stock adequate supplies of food and water.

read more about irene’s trial and verdict in malaysiakini and aliran or at catcha news. before the verdic.
(oh if you are not subsribe to malaysiakini and can’t get to read the news on irene, then i suggest you go to the beritamalaysia newsgroup to read some of the news.)

US riights grouphad called upon the government to acquit irene. brad adams, the executive director of human rights watch’s (HRW) asia division said that in the first place, she should never have been charged for speaking out against the abuse of migrants.

irene had the guts to speak up against torture and wrong-doings that happened in the camp, and this is what she get… a guilty sentence. so sad.