We refer to the Malaysiakini report 16 refugees arrested at Suu Kyi's 'birthday bash' .

The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) condemns the police harassment and arrests of 16 Burmese refugees at a gathering to mark the 64th birthday of Burmese political icon, Aung San Suu Kyi.

The arrests of these refugees who gathered to show global solidarity for Suu Kyi and her unjust imprisonment again reveals the lack of respect for citizens and non-citizens to universal freedoms of expression and assembly.

On June 19, a gathering to commemorate the occasion organised by the Petaling Jaya City Council and the federal opposition pact Pakatan Rakyat was disrupted when police arrested 16 Burmese participants at the scene.

According to PKR Information Bureau, police started arresting the Burmese who were invited by the organisers to the event before it officially started. To prevent attendance at the function, the police set up roadblocks around the venue which was an open area of a shopping mall. PKR is one of the partners in the opposition pact.

When contacted by CIJ, a police spokesperson confirmed the setting up of roadblocks because the assembly was deemed illegal without a permit and that the Burmese were arrested for ‘not having a passport’.

However, PKR’s Information Bureau said the need for a permit did not arise as the event was organised by the PJ City Council. Moreover, she said the police proceeded with the arrests without the standard procedure for illegal assembly by giving warnings for dispersal.

According to human rights group Suaram, two of the Burmese refugees were released on the same night while the rest are still being detained without access to legal assistance, although some of them have a document issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

That Suu Kyi's fellow Burmese were arrested for celebrating her birthday is a disgrace on the part of the Malaysian authorities.

The police force has shown itself to be partisan against the opposition political parties and critics, in the way it reacted against the public assemblies on the Perak political crisis in the last three months.

CIJ is concerned that violations against fundamental human rights will be a permanent feature of police action against individuals, groups and political parties and we call for the police to cease such undemocratic tactics immediately. CIJ also urges the police to immediately release those detained.

The writer is executive director, CIJ.