Undeterred by fresh charge, Fahmi Reza defends satirical works

KUALA LUMPUR – Popular graphic designer Fahmi Reza has vowed to fight all charges and accusations framed against him, especially those he deems as threats or attempts to stifle a person’s freedom of expression and liberty.

Speaking to reporters outside the Kuala Lumpur High Court complex lobby, Fahmi was adamant that despite the fresh charge against him today, he would remain consistent in his challenge against those criminalising satire artworks.

Fahmi also noted how his charge today, made over a caricature he had drawn which reportedly resembles former health minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, came exactly one year after he posted the original artwork on his Twitter account, with the posting still available online.

No matter how many times I have been called up by police, investigated by them, arrested by them, and even hauled to court, it will not stop me from producing my artworks, because I feel this is a form of freedom and a means for us citizens to voice and express ourselves.

“I will keep on fighting, whatever the case may be, especially if it is attempting to stifle our liberty. I will continue to fight for my rights, and I will continue to defend my satire artworks, because satire is not a crime,” he said.

He made these comments after posting a bail of RM5,000 at the courthouse here, following the charge made against him under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA) this morning.

Fahmi was accused of uploading offensive material with the intention to annoy or offend certain parties, with the artwork in question being a caricature allegedly depicting the current science, technology, and innovation minister.

‘Arbitrarily applied’ Section 233 charge sets dangerous precedent: Amnesty International

Also commenting on Fahmi’s charge today was Amnesty International Malaysia executive director Katrina Jorene Maliamauv, who accused the government of violating Fahmi’s constitutionally agreed fundamental human right to freedom of expression by charging him under the CMA.

Maliamauv warned of the dangerous precedent potentially triggered by such charges framed under the ambiguity of Section 233, asserting it could have far-reaching implications, especially if abused by those in power over anything they deem unacceptable.

“Section 233, which criminalises online content that is ‘obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive in character,’ is excessively vague, prone to abuse and often arbitrarily applied. 

“It must be repealed.

We must also not accept the routine manner in which the law is used to criminalise political and human rights speech and subject government critics to repeated police investigations and criminal charges,” she wrote in a statement today.

Maliamauv added that laws must never be abused to repress or silence dissenters, then called for charges against Fahmi to be dropped.

“Laws must not be used to repress peaceful dissent and critique. 

“Art and satire are necessary to live in an open and fair society,” she added. – The Vibes, February 10, 2022