After repeatedly being released and re-arrested, activist Ali Abd Jalil is finally on his way home to Kuala Lumpur after being released on police bail today.

His lawyer New Sin Yew told Malaysiakini that Ali was released from the Nusajaya police district headquarters at 3.40pm today, after receiving confirmation from the police at about 1pm that the police would not be seeking an extension of his remand.

“He is in good spirits. The police even brought him to the hospital before his release to ensure that he is all right,” New said, adding that Ali appeared to be in good health as well.

 

Ali had spent a total of 22 consecutive days in detention since Sept 8, as he was released and re-arrested on four occasions to face various charges or investigations under the Sedition Act 1948.

 

This is the fifth time he was released from police custody throughout his almost month-long ordeal, during which he reportedly made allegations of torture while his lawyers slammed the repeated arrests as an abuse of the justice system.

 

The student was initially charged at the Selayang Sessions Court under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act for supposedly insulting the sultan of Selangor.

 

Upon posting bail of RM5,000 and one surety on the same day, Ali was immediately re-arrested at court and taken to the Shah Alam Sessions Court, where he was charged with two more counts under the same section of the Sedition Act.

 

He posted bail of RM8,000 for the two new charges on Sept 23, this time only to be re-arrested after 10 minutes and taken to Johor Bahru to face investigations, also under the Sedition Act for allegedly insulting royalty.

 

The 29 year old was remanded by the Johor police until Sept 27, but upon release, was re-arrested immediately under a different section of the Sedition Act and immediately slapped with a three-day remand until tomorrow.

 

During Ali’s detention, a protest was held in solidarity with him, while Amnesty International adopted him as a ‘prisoner of conscience’ and campaigned for this release.

 

New said he was en route to Johor this morning as the police were expected to apply for an extension of the remand, but instead received word at 11.30am that the police may not seek the extension.

The confirmation came later in the afternoon.

'Pro-Sedition Act group bullying us into silence'