The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has raised concerns over the arrest of an Egyptian university student for allegedly protesting in front of his country’s embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
The commission said it does not condone vandalism, but non-violent and conscientious expressions of opinion should be addressed proportionately and in line with human rights principles.
According to Suhakam, an update from the home ministry and the police confirmed that the student, Marwan Mohamed Magdi Osman Ahmed, has been released from custody and that no deportation has taken place.
It said this outcome is a positive development and in line with Malaysia’s obligations under international human rights law, including the principle of non-refoulement.
“Nonetheless, Suhakam remains concerned that the arrest took place in the first place, given that the act in question was peaceful and falls within the scope of protected expression.
“The circumstances of the arrest raise important questions about how the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are interpreted and applied in practice,” it said in a statement.
Suhakam urged all authorities and institutions to remain vigilant in upholding the fundamental freedoms guaranteed under national and international law.
“Malaysia must ensure that its legal processes and enforcement mechanisms are not influenced by external pressures in ways that compromise these rights,” it said.
On Tuesday, Kuala Lumpur acting police chief Usuf Jan Mohamad confirmed that Marwan had been arrested and that an investigation paper had been opened for the offence of mischief.
He said the investigation paper has been submitted to the deputy public prosecutor for further action.
On Aug 1, Turkish NGO Justice for Human Rights called for the Malaysian government to halt deportation proceedings against Marwan, citing Egypt’s “poor human rights record” and repeated “violations against peaceful demonstrators”.
It said Marwan had “raised protest slogans” on the walls of the Egyptian embassy that called for the opening of the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian border into the besieged Palestinian territory of Gaza.
However, it said the embassy had called the act “a threat to national security” and accused Marwan of “grand treason”. It had proceeded to lodge a police report on the matter, which led to his arrest.
