Brussels, 16/04/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 15 April, the European Union criticised Malaysia's decision to strengthen its Sedition Act - when the country's Prime Minister Najib Razak had promised in 2012 to repeal it.
“This can have implications for the exercise of freedom of expression as demonstrated by recent controversial instances of application of the [sedition] Act”, said the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini in a press release.
On 10 April, the Malaysian Parliament, controlled by the government, strengthened the prison sentences provided for under the Sedition Act. People prosecuted for the rising up against authority now risk 20 years in jail - as compared with three years previously. A well-known cartoonist, Zunar, was charged with sedition at the beginning of April for tweets criticising the judicial authorities for sentencing opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. Zunar risks 43 years in prison.
Calling itself “a friend” of Malaysia, the EU reiterates that “respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and trust in due process, are essential tenets of any democratic system”. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)