Subject: AI USA: United States to not be a Spectator as Malaysian Authorities Attack Peaceful Protestors Amnesty International Urges United

States to not be a Spectator as Malaysian Authorities Attack Peaceful Protestors Amnesty International said today that Malaysian authorities have responded to a peaceful rally for electoral reform in Kuala Lumpur with mass arrests and excessive use of force. At least 924 people have been arrested today, according to the Royal Malaysian Police. Those arrested include Ambiga Sreenevasan, chair of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) which organized the rally. The United States should not be a spectator when Malaysia, one of its closest allies, brutally attacks peaceful protesters, but urge Malaysian authorities to guarantee future peaceful protests said T. Kumar, director of international advocacy for Amnesty International USA. The relationship between United States and Malaysia should not be based only on economic and security interests at the expense of human rights. According to credible local sources, police have denied the detainees access to lawyers, which flout international human rights standards.The Malaysian government must immediately release these demonstrators and respect their right to peaceful protest, said Donna Guest, deputy Asia/Pacific director at Amnesty International. As a current member of the U.N. Human Rights Council, the Malaysian government should be setting an example to other nations and promoting human rights. Instead they appear to be suppressing them, in the worst campaign of repression weve seen in the country for years.Police attacked marchers with baton charges and tear gas. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was injured after police fired tear gas canisters into a group of marchers in a tunnel. Another Minister of Parliament, Khalid Samad of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), was also injured when police fired a tear gas canister at his neck. After a group of protesters retreated into Tung Shing Hospital, police fired tear gas into the hospital, putting the health of patients at risk. If the U.S. government does not take strong approach to human rights in Malaysia, it will seriously affect the United States credibility and effectiveness on human rights in the region, said Kumar. Such silence will give green light to other governments that they too can brutally suppress peaceful protests Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 3 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied. For more information, please visit: http://www.amnestyusa.org/ Sharon Singh Media Relations Director Amnesty International USA(o) 202.675.8579<tel:202.675.8579> (m)202.459.8703<tel:202.459.8703>