The Kuala Lumpur magistrates court today rejected an application by labour activist Irene Fernandez to have her passport released for travel to a United Nations (UN)-hosted meeting in Beijing later this month.

This is the third time that the court has denied Fernandez access to her passport since she was convicted last October for publishing false news and slapped with a 12-month jail sentence. She is appealing the sentence and is currently on a bail of RM3,000.

Prior to her conviction, Fernandez applied for the release of her passport 42 times and was granted permission on all occasions.

In forwarding his client's application, counsel M Puravalen argued that there was no indication to show that Fernandez would abuse her bail conditions.

He said the prosecution's objection that Fernandez would 'tarnish' the image of the country if allowed to travel abroad was not backed up by any evidence and was mere speculation..

"It amounts to mere speculation and the deputy public prosecutor confirmed in reply that it is indeed speculation," he added.

Puravalen told malaysiakini that the court did not state the grounds for the third rejection of Fernandez's application adding that he had been instructed to file an immediate appeal to the High Court.

'Ironical'

Tenaganita in statement said Fernandez plans to attend the Beijing meeting to be hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) as a resource person on the issue of food sovereignty in the Asia Pacific.

As a member of the International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty and chairperson for Pesticide Action Network Asia Pacific, her participation at the FAO meeting was "very important".

"At a time when Malaysia states that it wants to give emphasis and priority to the development of farmers, fisher folk and agriculture, it is indeed ironical that Irene is denied participation in the meeting," said Tenaganita.

Fernandez had also appealed to the High Court over the past two rejections of her applications but the matter became otiose when the dates for meetings she hoped to attend passed forcing her to withdraw the applications.

Since her conviction, Fernandez had to miss two November meetings in the US and Canada on human rights and Aids and two invitations in December to speak on human rights at the German Parliament and in Bangkok.