{"id":61179,"date":"2020-07-29T16:57:59","date_gmt":"2020-07-29T16:57:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=61179"},"modified":"2020-07-29T16:57:59","modified_gmt":"2020-07-29T16:57:59","slug":"malaysia-should-free-outspoken-bangladeshi-migrant-worker-hrw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=61179","title":{"rendered":"Malaysia should free outspoken Bangladeshi migrant worker: HRW"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Immigration Department arrested Md Rayhan Kabir, 25, following a tip-off. Photo: Hazri A Bakar via the New Straits Times<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

News<\/b> Desk: The Malaysian authorities\u2019 arrest of a Bangladeshi migrant worker who was featured in an Al Jazeera documentary was clear retaliation for his criticism of government policies to<\/div>\n

HRW said in a statement on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

wards migrants, says the Human Rights Watch.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The authorities should immediately release Mohamed Rayhan Kabir, 25, and reinstate his work permit,<\/p>\n

Kabir was featured in an Al Jazeera documentary that aired on Jul 3 about the treatment of migrant workers in Malaysia during theCovid-19 pandemic lockdown. The government targeted both Kabir and Al Jazeera, with the news agency now facing potential charges of sedition, defamation, and violation of the Communications and Multimedia Act.<\/p>\n

Al Jazeera is also facing charges that it failed to obtain a license to make the film in an unprecedented use of Malaysia\u2019s outdated National Film Development Corporation Act.<\/p>\n

The authorities arrested Kabir on July 24, 2020 and ordered his detention for 14 days \u201cfor investigation.\u201d The director-general of immigration announced that Kabir \u201cwill be deported and blacklisted from entering Malaysia forever.\u201d It is not clear whether he will also face criminal charges.<\/p>\n

On the day of his arrest, Kabir wrote to a journalist saying, \u201cI did not commit any crime. I did not lie. I have only talked about discrimination against the migrants. I want the dignity of migrants and my country ensured. I believe all migrants and Bangladesh will stand with me.\u201d A group of 21 Bangladeshi civil society organisations called for Kabir\u2019s release.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Malaysian authorities\u2019 actions against Kabir send a chilling message to all migrant workers that speaking out about rights abuses risks arbitrary arrest, deportation, and blacklisting,\u201d said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director in HRW. \u201cThe arrest of a source in a documentary adds to the devastating assault on free speech and media freedom in Malaysia.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kabir\u2019s treatment by the authorities has raised important due process concerns, HRW said. After the documentary aired, the authorities widely circulated a \u201csearch notice\u201d that included his photo, name, and address, putting him at risk in an environment increasingly hostile to migrants.<\/p>\n

A few days later, the inspector-general of police announced to the media that the immigration department had revoked Kabir\u2019s work permit. This, along with the announcement that he would be deported and blacklisted, was made without Kabir receiving notice or having an opportunity to be heard. The government\u2019s public attacks on Kabir, at a time of rising xenophobia in Malaysia, serve to fan the flames of intolerance, Human Rights Watch said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

News Desk: The Malaysian authorities\u2019 arrest of a Bangladeshi migrant worker who was featured in an Al Jazeera documentary was clear retaliation for his criticism of government policies to HRW said in a statement on Wednesday. wards migrants, says the Human Rights Watch. The authorities should immediately release Mohamed Rayhan Kabir, 25, and reinstate his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":61180,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12,14],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n