Cops, immigration owe Fahmi Reza an apology, says G25
PETALING JAYA : The immigration department and Bukit Aman owe graphic artist and activist Fahmi Reza an apology after he was barred from travelling abroad last Saturday, says G25.
In a statement today, the group comprising prominent retired civil servants said despite the police's claim that no travel ban had been imposed on Fahmi, the fact remains that he was still denied permission to leave the country.
G25 also questioned if there would be some accountability from the authorities after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had called for the deputy inspector-general of police to conduct a full review of Fahmi's travel restrictions, and for the police to clarify the matter further.
'Despite the inspector-general of police admitting there was no actual travel restriction and blaming the incident on 'confusion', neither the police nor the immigration department has apologised or taken responsibility.
'We believe that at the very least, Fahmi is owed a public apology by those responsible,' he said.
On Saturday, Fahmi was stopped at KLIA Terminal 2 while trying to board a flight to Singapore to attend a concert. He said an immigration officer allegedly told him the police had denied him clearance to travel overseas and asked him to check with Bukit Aman for further clarification.
Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain later said the police did not issue a travel ban against Fahmi and the incident was the result of a 'misunderstanding'.
Anwar then said he had instructed the police to investigate the matter, and the government supports individual freedom as long as national security and laws are not compromised.
G25 noted the latest incident came just nine days after Fahmi was barred from entering Sabah on May 29.
'These repeated restrictions reflect not only an erosion of due process and a growing pattern of arbitrary infringement on constitutionally protected rights, but also risk diminishing Malaysia's standing in the eyes of the international community.
'When such incidents occur with increasing frequency, they become more than isolated lapses. They signal systemic issues that are both concerning and, frankly, embarrassing on the global stage,' the group said.
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