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SINGAPORE: A Malaysian human rights group accusing Changi Prison of brutal execution had its proceedings against Singapore’s Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam last month rejected by the Malaysian High Court, the Ministry of Justice said. Interior (MHA) Thursday (Oct 1): Calling the group’s legal action “unfounded.”
In January, the Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) group said that it had filed a motion in the Kuala Lumpur High Court against Mr. Shanmugam, following the issuance of a correction order by the Office of the POFMA (Protection Law Against Falsehoods and Online Manipulation).
The civil lawsuit, filed on January 24, sought a statement from the High Court indicating that Mr. Shanmugam cannot take action against Lawyers for Liberty in Malaysia under POFMA.
The group then told reporters that the order was “an attempt by Singapore to invade or stifle freedom of expression in Malaysia.”
From left to right: Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) Director Melissa Sasidaran, LFL Advisor N Surendran, and their attorneys Gurdial Singh Nijar and Ambiga Sreenevasan. (Photo: D Kanyakumari)
READ: Malaysia rights group Lawyers for Liberty files motion in KL High Court against Shanmugam on direction of correction
Lawyers for Liberty never released their court papers to Shanmugam, the MHA said Thursday.
“Instead, the documents subsequently expired and, for reasons that the LFL did not disclose, the LFL suspended its requests to renew the documents and deliver them to the minister in Singapore,” the ministry said.
The Lawyers for Liberty action was subsequently dismissed by the Malaysian High Court on September 21, MHA added.
“LFL’s legal action was unfounded, and that is demonstrated by the fact that it has now decided not to pursue the legal action,” MHA said.
READ: Singapore invokes online falsehoods law against Malaysian rights group ‘absurd’ claims on enforcement methods
LIBERTY CLAIMS LAWYERS
On January 16, Lawyers for Liberty issued a press release alleging brutal methods of execution at Singapore’s Changi Prison.
In his statement, he alleged that prison officials were instructed to “pull the rope around the prisoner’s neck towards him” and to “kick the inmate’s neck with great force to break it” whenever the rope broke. during a hanging.
The MHA said in response on January 22 that the allegations were “totally unfounded” as well as “false, unfounded and absurd.”
Lawyers for Liberty subsequently received a correction address from the POFMA office, along with three other parties: Kirsten Han’s Facebook post, an online article from The Online Citizen, and a Yahoo Singapore Facebook post.
Lawyers for Liberty said it would not comply with the correction order and defended its claims that inmates sentenced to death at Changi Prison were brutally executed.
READ: Malaysian Rights Group ‘Absolutely Supports’ Claims About Changi Prison Execution Methods, Will Not Comply With Correction Direction
“SENSATIONAL ALLEGATIONS”
On Thursday, MHA reiterated that the claims made by the group are “insane and completely false.”
“The LFL’s conduct in commencing its legal action, publicizing it and then failing to prosecute the matter, which led to its dismissal by the Malaysian High Court, is consistent with how LFL has conducted itself thus far,” MHA said.
“LFL made sensational accusations against the Singapore Prison Service and the treatment of prisoners, and promised to present evidence.
“But nothing was presented to substantiate his wild and completely false accusations.”
