Malaysia court charges 29 over mass protest

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) – A Malaysian court on Monday charged
29 people, including a teenage boy, for taking part in a
massive weekend protest against internal security laws
that saw 589 people arrested.

In the biggest demonstration in Malaysia for nearly two
years, police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse
thousands of people calling for the abolition of laws that allow for detention without
trial.

Most of those detained were released over the past two days but the
29 still in custody were charged at a Kuala Lumpur court with taking
part in an illegal rally or aiding an illegal organisation.

Among them were five women, including Norlaila Othman whose husband
has been held under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for seven years,
and a 16-year-old teenager.

In Malaysia, it is illegal to hold a demonstration without a permit
from police, who rarely give the green light.

The 29 all pleaded not guilty and were released on bail. If
convicted, they could be jailed for between one and three years,
depending on which of the two charges they face.

Defence lawyer Azizul Shariman Mat Yusoff denied the group that
mounted the protest was an illegal organisation.

"The Abolish ISA Movement is a coalition comprising 83 registered
NGOs and political parties," he told the court.

Prime Minister Najib Razak has denounced the protest, saying he has
already promised to review the controversial legislation.

But the opposition and rights groups are calling for the colonial-era
ISA -- which has been used to detain government opponents as well as
suspected terrorists -- to be abolished.