Why is bersih rally illegal

Since the founding of Bersih, rallies have been organized in , , and in the lead up to the parliamentary elections, which takes place once every five years. Subscribe to our mailing to receive periodic updates on human rights issues where we work.

News Release. Investigate threats against Bersih organizers Kuala Lumpur, November 18, —The Malaysian authorities should protect the right to peaceful assembly during the Bersih 5 rallies tomorrow, said Fortify Rights today. The Barisan Nasional party has ruled Malaysia since the country gained its independence in Stay Updated! Next article Prev article.

Parti Islam SeMalaysia PAS , meanwhile, said it would send representatives to the rally but would not direct its members and supporters to attend, according to Bernama. Its secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said in a statement that it was just a day before the National Day celebrations. Join ST's Telegram channel here and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. We have been experiencing some problems with subscriber log-ins and apologise for the inconvenience caused.

Until we resolve the issues, subscribers need not log in to access ST Digital articles. But a log-in is still required for our PDFs. Skip to main content. The Bersih 4. Thousands are expected to rally in the capital alone.

It is being organised by civil rights group Bersih, whose name means "clean" in Malay and has been calling for electoral reform. But authorities have said the protest is illegal, setting the stage for a possible showdown with security forces.

Previous anti-government Bersih rallies saw large turnouts and clashes with the police. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission said on Thursday the protest would "threaten" public order and social harmony. The measures may also run afoul of domestic law: while the legislative statute for the Malaysian Communications and Media Commission MCMC , the Communications and Multimedia Act, allows for penalties regarding certain forms of content, it does not provide for actual blocking of websites or other types of prior restraint.

The coalition letter outlines the legal protection individuals are afforded in Malaysia under national and international law, and calls on the government to:. However, rather than lift the restrictions, as civil society across the world have urged , the government doubled down on its campaign against free expression by threatening to disrupt electoral reform protests planned this weekend.

Unfortunately, the Malay government has declared the rally illegal. Public protests do not justify the blocking of websites or disruption of the internet, and Access will continue to fight to keep the internet on.