Izzah appeals for UN intervention in dad's case
Premesh ChandranPublished: Apr 19, 2001 11:20 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
Nurul Izzah Anwar has appealed to the United Nations Human Rights Commission to help secure the release of her father, sacked deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. She told the commission that her father is a political prisoner and has no other recourse for justice.
"Members of this commission may think that I am naive and idealistic in seeking its help to solve the injustices in my country. The truth is, there is no other place left to seek mercy, when we cannot expect justice from the national institutions meant to protect our rights," she said.
"There is an urgent need to right wrongs inflicted upon him and the other innocents who have been targeted for no other reason than their association with my father or their peaceful work for reform."
She added that "like the children and family members of political prisoners around the world, we want our father to come home."
The commission is currently sitting in Geneva and hearing cases of human rights abuse from all over the world. It has the power to pass resolutions on human rights matters and put pressure on governments to adhere to international human rights norms.
Nineteen-year-old Izzah was speaking to the commission on issues relating to torture and detention, freedom of expression and the independence of the judiciary. To pin-drop silence, she recounted how her father was arrested, brutally assaulted, held in solitary confinement, disgraced publicly and possibly poisoned.
She stressed that there was little hope of justice to prevail. Her father, she added, has been denied bail while someone convicted of assaulting Anwar continues to roam freely.
"It seems that the entire administration of justice in Malaysia is in a severe state of crisis. Laws are being abused to inflict injury on the innocent and protect perpetrators of human rights violations."
Following her statement, Izzah also conveyed a message from Anwar to the commission.
"As a victim of gross injustice, including physical assault at the hands of Malaysia's police chief, I appeal to the commission to step up its work against human rights violations in my country and everywhere else," wrote Anwar.
"When we declared our independence and sovereignty more than 40 years ago, we affirmed our commitment to the principles of liberty and justice. However, we have since seen our country regress into a police state and arrogant authoritarianism," he added.
Izzah is part of a six-member Malaysian delegation to the commission to highlight Malaysia's human rights record. On Tuesday, Suaram director Dr Kua Kia Soong spoke to the commission on the violations of economic, social and cultural rights.
Izzah's message was reinforced by a 143-page report entitled "Justice in Jeopardy: Malaysia 2000" released in Geneva on Wednesday by the International Bar Association, the ICJ Centre for Independence of Judges and Lawyers, the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and the Union Internationale Des Avocats.
The report, which is based on the findings of a 10-day mission to Malaysia in April 1999, raised "serious concern" on the independence of the judiciary.
"Members of this commission may think that I am naive and idealistic in seeking its help to solve the injustices in my country. The truth is, there is no other place left to seek mercy, when we cannot expect justice from the national institutions meant to protect our rights," she said.
"There is an urgent need to right wrongs inflicted upon him and the other innocents who have been targeted for no other reason than their association with my father or their peaceful work for reform."
She added that "like the children and family members of political prisoners around the world, we want our father to come home."
The commission is currently sitting in Geneva and hearing cases of human rights abuse from all over the world. It has the power to pass resolutions on human rights matters and put pressure on governments to adhere to international human rights norms.
Nineteen-year-old Izzah was speaking to the commission on issues relating to torture and detention, freedom of expression and the independence of the judiciary. To pin-drop silence, she recounted how her father was arrested, brutally assaulted, held in solitary confinement, disgraced publicly and possibly poisoned.
She stressed that there was little hope of justice to prevail. Her father, she added, has been denied bail while someone convicted of assaulting Anwar continues to roam freely.
"It seems that the entire administration of justice in Malaysia is in a severe state of crisis. Laws are being abused to inflict injury on the innocent and protect perpetrators of human rights violations."
Following her statement, Izzah also conveyed a message from Anwar to the commission.
"As a victim of gross injustice, including physical assault at the hands of Malaysia's police chief, I appeal to the commission to step up its work against human rights violations in my country and everywhere else," wrote Anwar.
"When we declared our independence and sovereignty more than 40 years ago, we affirmed our commitment to the principles of liberty and justice. However, we have since seen our country regress into a police state and arrogant authoritarianism," he added.
Izzah is part of a six-member Malaysian delegation to the commission to highlight Malaysia's human rights record. On Tuesday, Suaram director Dr Kua Kia Soong spoke to the commission on the violations of economic, social and cultural rights.
Izzah's message was reinforced by a 143-page report entitled "Justice in Jeopardy: Malaysia 2000" released in Geneva on Wednesday by the International Bar Association, the ICJ Centre for Independence of Judges and Lawyers, the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and the Union Internationale Des Avocats.
The report, which is based on the findings of a 10-day mission to Malaysia in April 1999, raised "serious concern" on the independence of the judiciary.
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