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Wikipedia founder urges M'sia to end Zunar's travel ban
Published:  Oct 21, 2016 11:26 AM
Updated: 4:17 AM

UK-based Jimmy Wales Foundation (JWF), named after one of Wikipedia's co-founder, has joined calls by international groups for the lifting of Putrajaya's travel ban on cartoonist Zunar. 

The JWF, a human rights and freedom of expressions advocacy group, described the travel ban as an example of Putrajaya's "total disregard to freedom of expression".

"JWF calls the Malaysian authorities to remove the travel ban from Zunar immediately and drop all charges against him," said the JWF in a press release today.

Zunar, whose real name is real name is Zulkiflee Anwar Ul-Haque, had met Wales in London in June. 

According to the JWF, Zunar had communicated to them that he was suffering from a long history of harassment by the Malaysian government to prevent him from drawing cartoons critical of the authorities…"

Zunar was informed of the travel ban when he attempted to board a plane to Singapore on Monday.

The order reportedly came directly from inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar.

The IGP subsequently said the police need not explain the reason for the ban, since the political cartoonist reportedly said he would take the matter to court.

"The IGP has no legal right to restrict Zunar’s movement and to bar him from leaving the country without a court order," said JWF.

Zunar, who faces multiple charges for his tweets on PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's jailing, said the ban will not stop him from being critical of the government.

"Talent is not a gift, talent is a responsibility.

"They can ban my books, they can ban my cartoon, they can ban me from travelling, but they cannot ban my mind, I will keep drawing until the last drop of my ink," JWF quoted him saying.

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