Kashgari deportation unlawful and cruel, says PKR veep

Surendran accused the authorities of rushing the blogger’s deportation in order to circumvent the legal process. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 — PKR vice president N. Surendran denounced the federal government for sending Saudi Arabian Hamza Kashgari home today, where he will likely be executed for alleged blasphemy.

“The deportation was unlawful, unconstitutional and a cruel act. The deportation was carried out in an unholy haste in order to defeat the legal process in Malaysia,” he said in a statement.

Surendran pointed out that a High Court had convened unusually on a Sunday to issue an interim order barring the deportation.

“The issuance of the order meant that the High Court judge had found basis in Hamza’s complaint that he was being illegally held by Malaysian authorities and that his deportation would be unlawful,” he said.

The human rights lawyer said there was no basis for the Malaysian government to deport Hamza as there is no extradition treaty between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

Surendran added that the offence the blogger is accused of does not attract capital punishment in Malaysia.

He said the deportation was in breach of Malaysia’s legal norms and constitutional principles. It also violated international law and human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, continued Surendran.

“Prime Minister Najib Razak must be held accountable for this unlawful and arbitrary action by his government and must answer for the black mark upon Malaysia’s international reputation,” he demanded.