Human Rights Day

Government’s appeal over Rights Day 2007 arrests thrown out

Malay Mail | The Court of Appeal upheld an earlier decision that the arrests of five lawyers, including Amer Hamzah Arshad, and an activist during a 2007 demonstration for human rights to be unlawful. The six were represented by lawyers Edmund Bon and Chan Yen Hui.

Five lawyers, activist win suit against government over arrest

Astro Awani | The court awarded Five human rights lawyers and an activist, including Amer Hamzah Arshad, each with RM10,000 in damages, and ordered the defendants to pay a total of RM60,000 in costs to all the plaintiffs. Counsel Edmund Bon, representing the six, told reporters that the ruling was a great victory for democracy and human rights.

Human Rights Walk arrests unlawful, court rules

The Edge | KL High Court judge Datuk John Louis O’Hara found the police giving confusing, conflicting, and contradictory instructions, and awarded a total of RM120,000 in damages to each of the six plaintiffs — lawyers R. Sivarasa, N. Surendran, Latheefa Koya, Eric Paulsen, and Amer Hamzah Arshad as well as human rights activist Johny Andu @ Abu Bakar Adnan. Lawyer Edmund Bon noted this is probably the last case under section 27 of the Police Act as it has been abolished substituted with the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.

Six win suit against police and govt over illegal arrest and detention

The Star | The KL High Court judge held that the arrests and detention of five lawyers, including Amer Hamzah Arshad, and an activist by the police were unlawful, but dismissed the claim on malicious prosecution as it was the prerogative of the AG to initiate proceedings. Lead counsel Edmund Bon said the ruling was a great victory for democracy and human rights.

Six human rights defenders win case against gov’t

Malaysiakini | Edmund Bon represented six plaintiffs who filed a suit against the acting Dang Wangi OCPD, the IGP, the Home Ministry, and the government for unlawful detention and arrest. KL High Court judge John Louis O’Hara agreed that the arresting officer gave conflicting, contradictory, and confusing instructions, and the detainees were not allowed to consult a legal representative.

Police acted unlawfully in arresting lawyers, activists, court rules

The Malaysian Insider | The KL High Court ruled that Malaysian police acted unlawfully in arresting six human rights lawyers and activists, including Amer Hamzah Arshad, who took part in the Human Rights Day Walk in 2007. Counsel Edmund Bon and Chan Yen Hui represented the six. Edmund said the decision was “a great victory for social activists for the right to freedom of assembly.”

Six sue cops and gov’t over human rights march

Malaysiakini | Amer Hamzah Arshad together with five human rights lawyers and activists filed a suit against the police and government, claiming that they were victims of malicious prosecution, and that the police acted in an oppressive, bothersome, intimidating, and frivolous manner, in breach of the constitution, the law, and procedures.

Human rights march: 7 acquitted

Malaysiakini | The KL Sessions Court acquitted seven people, including lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad, for participating in an alleged illegal human rights march two years ago, and for disobeying police orders to disperse. The judge stated that the oral permission granted by the police was consequentially sufficient to meet and satisfy the requirements of section 27(2) of the Police Act.

Edmund Bon and 4 other lawyers released on bail

The Malaysian Bar | At the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court where lawyers were charged over the Human Rights Day events, the entire Bar was kept apprised of the proceedings in court by minute-to-minute real-time reporting. Edmund Bon was released on RM1,000 bail while others, including Amer Hamzah Arshad, were released on RM2,000 bail.

“This is outrageous!”, Bar screams over arrest of Edmund Bon

Malaysian Bar | The Chairman of the Bar Council’s Human Rights Committee, Edmund Bon, was arrested after stopping some officers from the Kuala Lumpur City Council from removing banners and placards hung on the premises of the Bar Council Secretariat.

Police arrest Bar Council rights committee chief over festival banners

Malaysiakini | The police have arrested the Bar Council Human Rights Committee chairperson Edmund Bon allegedly for preventing local authorities from removing banners outside the Malaysian Bar building. The Bar Council had put up banners and posters related to its “Festival of Rights” at a booth outside its building and around its premises.

Human rights march: 5 lawyers arrested

Malaysiakini | The police have arrested five lawyers — N. Surendran, Latheefa Koya, R. Sivarasa, Eric Paulsen, and Amer Hamzah — and three others, after a failed attempt by the organisers of the Human Rights Day march to negotiate with the police to allow them to finish. The police also arrested Edmund Bon for preventing the authorities from performing their duty outside the Malaysian Bar building.

Defiant lawyers to march on Sunday

Malaysiakini | The Human Rights Day march was called off but some lawyers will still march to send a message that Malaysians have the right to a peaceful assembly. Edmund Bon said the Bar Council will move its “Festival of Rights” to its own building due to police insistence that a permit be sought for the event at Central Market, which the lawyers cannot do, on a day meant to celebrate freedoms.

Appeals court upholds high court ruling six were unlawfully arrested in 2007

The Borneo Post | A three-member Court of Appeal panel unanimously dismissed the police and the government’s appeal to reverse the High Court decision declaring as unlawful the arrest of the six people who took part in the Human Rights Day Walk in Kuala Lumpur in 2007. The six, including Amer Hamzah Arshad, were represented by lawyer Edmund Bon.

Government’s appeal over Rights Day 2007 arrests thrown out

Malay Mail | The Court of Appeal upheld an earlier decision that the arrests of five lawyers, including Amer Hamzah Arshad, and an activist during a 2007 demonstration for human rights to be unlawful. The six were represented by lawyers Edmund Bon and Chan Yen Hui.

Five lawyers, activist win suit against government over arrest

Astro Awani | The court awarded Five human rights lawyers and an activist, including Amer Hamzah Arshad, each with RM10,000 in damages, and ordered the defendants to pay a total of RM60,000 in costs to all the plaintiffs. Counsel Edmund Bon, representing the six, told reporters that the ruling was a great victory for democracy and human rights.

Human Rights Walk arrests unlawful, court rules

The Edge | KL High Court judge Datuk John Louis O’Hara found the police giving confusing, conflicting, and contradictory instructions, and awarded a total of RM120,000 in damages to each of the six plaintiffs — lawyers R. Sivarasa, N. Surendran, Latheefa Koya, Eric Paulsen, and Amer Hamzah Arshad as well as human rights activist Johny Andu @ Abu Bakar Adnan. Lawyer Edmund Bon noted this is probably the last case under section 27 of the Police Act as it has been abolished substituted with the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.

Six win suit against police and govt over illegal arrest and detention

The Star | The KL High Court judge held that the arrests and detention of five lawyers, including Amer Hamzah Arshad, and an activist by the police were unlawful, but dismissed the claim on malicious prosecution as it was the prerogative of the AG to initiate proceedings. Lead counsel Edmund Bon said the ruling was a great victory for democracy and human rights.

Six human rights defenders win case against gov’t

Malaysiakini | Edmund Bon represented six plaintiffs who filed a suit against the acting Dang Wangi OCPD, the IGP, the Home Ministry, and the government for unlawful detention and arrest. KL High Court judge John Louis O’Hara agreed that the arresting officer gave conflicting, contradictory, and confusing instructions, and the detainees were not allowed to consult a legal representative.

Police acted unlawfully in arresting lawyers, activists, court rules

The Malaysian Insider | The KL High Court ruled that Malaysian police acted unlawfully in arresting six human rights lawyers and activists, including Amer Hamzah Arshad, who took part in the Human Rights Day Walk in 2007. Counsel Edmund Bon and Chan Yen Hui represented the six. Edmund said the decision was “a great victory for social activists for the right to freedom of assembly.”

Six sue cops and gov’t over human rights march

Malaysiakini | Amer Hamzah Arshad together with five human rights lawyers and activists filed a suit against the police and government, claiming that they were victims of malicious prosecution, and that the police acted in an oppressive, bothersome, intimidating, and frivolous manner, in breach of the constitution, the law, and procedures.

Human rights march: 7 acquitted

Malaysiakini | The KL Sessions Court acquitted seven people, including lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad, for participating in an alleged illegal human rights march two years ago, and for disobeying police orders to disperse. The judge stated that the oral permission granted by the police was consequentially sufficient to meet and satisfy the requirements of section 27(2) of the Police Act.

Edmund Bon and 4 other lawyers released on bail

The Malaysian Bar | At the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court where lawyers were charged over the Human Rights Day events, the entire Bar was kept apprised of the proceedings in court by minute-to-minute real-time reporting. Edmund Bon was released on RM1,000 bail while others, including Amer Hamzah Arshad, were released on RM2,000 bail.

“This is outrageous!”, Bar screams over arrest of Edmund Bon

Malaysian Bar | The Chairman of the Bar Council’s Human Rights Committee, Edmund Bon, was arrested after stopping some officers from the Kuala Lumpur City Council from removing banners and placards hung on the premises of the Bar Council Secretariat.

Police arrest Bar Council rights committee chief over festival banners

Malaysiakini | The police have arrested the Bar Council Human Rights Committee chairperson Edmund Bon allegedly for preventing local authorities from removing banners outside the Malaysian Bar building. The Bar Council had put up banners and posters related to its “Festival of Rights” at a booth outside its building and around its premises.

Human rights march: 5 lawyers arrested

Malaysiakini | The police have arrested five lawyers — N. Surendran, Latheefa Koya, R. Sivarasa, Eric Paulsen, and Amer Hamzah — and three others, after a failed attempt by the organisers of the Human Rights Day march to negotiate with the police to allow them to finish. The police also arrested Edmund Bon for preventing the authorities from performing their duty outside the Malaysian Bar building.

Defiant lawyers to march on Sunday

Malaysiakini | The Human Rights Day march was called off but some lawyers will still march to send a message that Malaysians have the right to a peaceful assembly. Edmund Bon said the Bar Council will move its “Festival of Rights” to its own building due to police insistence that a permit be sought for the event at Central Market, which the lawyers cannot do, on a day meant to celebrate freedoms.

Appeals court upholds high court ruling six were unlawfully arrested in 2007

The Borneo Post | A three-member Court of Appeal panel unanimously dismissed the police and the government’s appeal to reverse the High Court decision declaring as unlawful the arrest of the six people who took part in the Human Rights Day Walk in Kuala Lumpur in 2007. The six, including Amer Hamzah Arshad, were represented by lawyer Edmund Bon.