Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM) has charged three of its student activists for participating in what it claimed to be an illegal gathering.

 

'We Unite For Islam' (Wufi) student group president Azzan Aznan said the students were brought before the university authorities yesterday to record their stand on their alleged involvement in the ‘Public Speech - Student Tour to Free Universities’ held on Nov 7 last year.

 

The trio of Abdul Malik Abdul Razak, Muhammad Mujahid Mohd Sulaiman and Muna Adila Che have said they are not guilty and are now awaiting their hearing date.

 

“They were charged under Clause 9(3) of the Students’ Discipline Rules 2004 in that they did not get the university’s permission to participate in the event which was held outside campus grounds,” Azzan said in a statement Wednesday.

 

He said it was unjust of the UIAM authorities to charge the students and Wufi was opposing the charges as it was well within the capacity of the students to express their rights.

 

“Wufi condemns and opposes these allegations against the three UIAM students. We are certain this is a political action aimed at punishing student activists to weaken the idealism of the student movement,” he said.

 

Deputy rector ‘a puppet'

 

Azzan added the university authorities' action “goes against freedom of assembly and expression as guaranteed under Article 10 of the federal constitution”.

 

Wufi, he said, was also demanding for the resignation of UIAM deputy rector of student affairs Mizan Hitam for being a “puppet” in allowing “invisible hands” to interfere in freedom of speech and assembly for students.

 

It was previously reported that UIAM had resorted to turning off lights and locking its main gate to stop a student rally on campus.

 

The Nov 7 tour was organised by the Pro-Mahasiswa Nasional coalition for campuses nationwide following a groundbreaking Oct 27 rally in University Malaya.