Women's Agenda for Change
Release All Political Prisoners under the ISA

Women's Agenda for Change restates our call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners under the Internal Security Act before the end of their first two-year term of detention on 1st June 2003, and the immediate repeal of the Internal Security Act.

Their unjust detention is especially intolerable given that the Advisory Board has twice reviewed their cases and recommended in both instances for their release. Not only that, the Federal Court's ruling on September 6, 2002 which held that the police had unlawfully detained Mohd. Ezam, Hishamudin Rais, Saari Sungib, Chua Tian Chang @ Tian Chua and Raja Petra Kamarudin under Section 73(1) of the Internal Security Act in April last year further exemplifies the glaring injustice. The Malaysian Human Rights Commission, SUHAKAM, has also recognised this fact and has echoed the call of human rights groups for their release.

The continued detention of Ezam Mohd. Nor, Chua Tian Chang @ Tian Chua, Saari Sungib, Hishamuddin Rais, Dr. Badrul Amin and Lokman Adam would demonstrate the flagrant travesty of justice and democratic rule of law under the thin guise of "national security" and cannot be justified or accepted.

This is especially after the recent assault on Tian Chua and Hishamuddin Rais on 9th May 2003 by thirty camp security personnels armed with heavy riot gear, which constitutes as a criminal act of violence and a further breach of their fundamental human rights. WAC views their personal safety and lives to be in grave danger from further violence by authorities in attempt to justify their continued detention, and urge all Malaysians to think of the individuals who are currently being incarcerated without the basic right to defend themselves in open court, and their families' concern.

WAC strongly urges the Home Minister to order the immediate release of all political detainees under the Internal Security Act; and to establish continued respect and adherence to the Rule of Law in Malaysia.

Women's Agenda For Change
Women's Agenda for Change is supported and endorsed by 90 organisations from a variety of interest areas, including women, youth, consumer, environment, unions, indigenous, religious, peace health, human rights, lawyers and grassroots groups.

Women's Agenda for Change Organising Committee:
Women's Development Collective
All Women's Action Society
Women's Aid Organisation
Wanita JIM
Persatuan Sahabat Wanita
Sisters In Islam
Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall - Women's Section
Metal Industries Employees' Union.

Related News:

• NGOs want ISA abolished, not replaced (The Star, May 21, 2003)
• Keadilan: Release six detainees (The Star, Friday, May 30, 2003)
• Four ISA detainees released (Utusan Malaysia, June 01, 2003)
  
• Suhakam to monitor situation of six ISA detainees (The Star, June 01, 2003)
• Four released from ISA detention (The Star, June 02, 2003)
• Release of four ISA detainees is unconditional, says Abdullah (Utusan Malaysia, June 02, 2003)