GEORGE TOWN – Police are raiding the office of Freedom Film Network (FFN) in Petaling Jaya and the house of cartoonist Amin Landak following an investigation over the release of a short film based on the true story of a boy’s experience in police custody with his two friends.
The two individuals are FFN co-founder and filmmaker Anna Har and cartoonist Amin Landak, who left Bukit Aman at 4.10pm after being calling in for questioning at 2.30pm today.
They are being investigated under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, as well as Sections 400 and 505B of the Penal Code.
In a statement, FFN said it sees the probe as a form of intimidation and harassment of human rights defenders, including artists and storytellers.
It is disturbing that the police have chosen to investigate artists and activists who raise serious concerns of custodial deaths, torture, abuse and misconduct by the police, instead of addressing acts of violence and harm that have emerged repeatedly, especially in the past few months.”
Police are investigating Har and Amin on the June 12 release of a short illustrated film entitled “Chilli Powder & Thinner”, which is based on a true story of a boy who testified to being tortured while under police custody with two of his friends.
The film depicts how they were stopped by the police for driving a car with different number plates and were later brought to the police station and beaten with wooden sticks, rubber hoses and other materials.
If that was not enough, they were later hung from their wrists while police officers rubbed chilli powder and paint thinner on their bruised and battered bodies.
“Why have the authorities chosen to go after the messenger, instead of addressing these urgent messages?
“We see these investigations as a form of intimidation and harassment of human rights defenders, including artists and storytellers. We invite the public to view the film.”
A fellow human rights activist told The Vibes that the investigation of the case started two weeks ago when another artist was called in for questioning the day after the screening.
The activist said the film was supposed to be premiered during the Freedom Film Festival in 2020, but was retracted due to its controversial nature.
The steering committee of Bersih 2.0 has also released a statement claiming that the recent crackdown is the mark of a failed democracy.
“The declaration of emergency on the pretext of fighting Covid-19 by the Perikatan Nasional government in January has already thrown Malaysia into a state of authoritarianism.
“And now the growing intolerance driven by the government’s insecurity and paranoia has moved the nation further down the slippery slope
“We call on the police to immediately cease all intimidation of activists and people who are facing desperate situations.
“The call to reconvene Parliament, the house of representatives of the people, has come from many quarters, including the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Malay rulers.
“It is imperative that the prime minister act to restore our democracy by ending the emergency and convening Parliament immediately.
“If the government continues to ignore the plight of the people and the police continue to use high-handed means to stifle legitimate expressions, the possibility of a total breakdown of civil order cannot be ruled out when people are hungry and angry.” – The Vibes, July 2, 2021
