(RSF/IFEX) – On 3 October 1997, Murray Hiebert, a Canadian correspondent for the Hong Kong-based “Far Eastern Economic Review”, had his request for the return of his passport refused pending an appeal of his conviction for contempt of court. **Updates IFEX alert dated 5 September 1997** Since being found guilty on 30 May, Hiebert has […]
(RSF/IFEX) – On 3 October 1997, Murray Hiebert, a Canadian
correspondent for the Hong Kong-based “Far Eastern Economic
Review”, had his request for the return of his passport refused
pending an appeal of his conviction for contempt of court.
**Updates IFEX alert dated 5 September 1997**
Since being found guilty on 30 May, Hiebert has been free;
however, he had to surrender his passport to the authorities and
request it each time he travelled out of the country.
Background Information
According to an alert originated by the Canadian Committee to
Protect Journalists (CCPJ), Hiebert was found guilty on 30 May,
and later sentenced on 4 September 1997 to three months in jail
because of a 23 January story he had written which examined
details of a civil suit brought by Datin Chandra Sri Ram, the
wife of Appeals Court Judge Sri Ram Gopal. The article also
examined an apparent growth in litigation in Malaysia, noting
that the suit by Chandra appeared to move through the judicial
system with unusual speed. Chandra consequently brought a suit
against Hiebert, alleging contempt of the Malaysian judicial
system (see IFEX alert). RSF notes that this is the first time in
Malaysia since 1949 that a journalist has been sentenced to a
jail term for contempt of court.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
passport
Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the
United Nations
taken to guarantee the free flow of information in Malaysia
Appeals To
Dato’ Seri Dr Mahatir bin Mohamad
Prime Minister
Jalan Dato’ Onn Malaysia
50502 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Fax: 603 238 3691/3784 or 298 4172
e-mail marsineh@smpke.jpm.myCopies to:
Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Wisma Putra
Jalan Wisma Putra
50602 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Fax: +603 242 4551
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
