KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) wants the authorities to halt its action against Bangladeshi national, Md Rayhan Kabir, who appeared on Al-Jazeera's controversial documentary "Locked Up in Malaysia's Lockdown".
In a statement today, LFL coordinator Zaid Malek described the move to deport and blacklist Rayhan from entering the country for life as "drastic" as the authorities had failed to clarify the violations he committed.
"We view with grave concern the arrest of Bangladeshi national, Md Rayhan Kabir by the Immigration Department which was confirmed by the authorities on July 25.
"Soon after his arrest, Immigration director-general, Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud, stated that Rayhan will be deported and blacklisted from entering Malaysia forever. Such drastic measures by the authorities are unwarranted as they have thus far failed to explain what offence Rayhan has committed.
"The action by the authorities is a form of retaliation over the allegations of discrimination made by Rayhan in the Al Jazeera documentary," he said.
Zaid said LFL had scrutinised the statement made by Rayhan in the documentary and claimed he had not breached the country's laws.
"Rayhan was only venting his frustrations and concerns regarding the crackdown by the authorities on the migrant community during the Movement Control Order. Similar complaints have been made by local activists and NGOs.
"There is no justifiable reason why the authorities must resort to such punitive measures against Rayhan for his statements.
"We reiterate that the revocation of Rayhan's permit is in breach of Section 9(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 and his deportation for being undocumented thus cannot stand," he said.
He claimed the persecution of Rayhan sent a "chilling" message to migrants to not speak out or report abuse by the authorities.
"We must not allow the authorities to act in flagrant disregard of the law. We urgently call on the government and the authorities to halt all actions against Rayhan."
Rayhan was nabbed at a condominium in Jalan Pahang on Friday.