Amnesty International will be launching our 2020 Annual Report on Wednesday 7 April, 10 AM with a press conference, followed by a panel discussion featuring Wathshlah Naidu, Executive Director of Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ); Firdaus Husni, Chief Human Rights Strategist of Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights (MCCHR); and Hui Ying Tham, Executive Director of Asylum Access Malaysia.
You can rewatch our event here: https://www.facebook.com/AmnestyMy/videos/770858570521671
****
In a year rocked by COVID-19, the pandemic and some of the response measures had a devastating effect on the lives of millions. In many parts of the world, the pandemic exacerbated the enjoyment of human rights and revealed and often aggravated existing patterns of abuses, discrimination, and inequalities.
Malaysia was no exception.
Throughout 2020, the Perikatan Nasional government consistently used the pandemic as a pretext to muzzle dissents and critical voices with restrictive legislation and newly enacted laws. Human rights activists, government critics, journalists, students and political opposition were often targeted and subjected to harassment, intimidation, violence and arbitrary arrests.
The pandemic also disproportionately affected marginalised and disadvantaged people such as refugees and migrants, LGBTI people and indigenous peoples. Mass raids and arrests against undocumented migrants and the pushback of refugee boats contributed to a deterioration of human rights.
