A group of international human rights organisations which deployed observers during Bersih 5 rally has praised the rally organisers and participants for a peaceful protest.

"Despite the arbitrary arrests and pattern of harassment committed by the Malaysian authorities against the Bersih organisers, the international team of observers noted the overall peaceful nature of the Bersih 5 gathering.

"The international team of observers noted the vigorous efforts on the part of the organisers of the rally to maintain peace and security throughout the day," said the six international NGOs in a joint statement today.

The signatories of the joint statement are the Asian Forum on Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia), Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), Fortify Rights, Human Rights Watch, the International Commission of Jurists and the Southeast Asian Press Alliance.

The group added that the authorities posed "unwarranted interference" on the participants' right to peaceful assembly by setting up road blocks and water cannons around Kuala Lumpur.

Violation of international laws

This was in violation of UN Human Rights Council agreements, Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international laws, the group said.

"International law permits state authorities to restrict peaceful assemblies only where circumstances make it strictly necessary for limited purposes and when certain specific conditions are met.

"The observer mission considers that none of these conditions apply or were present in the case of the Bersih rally."

The group also noted with concern that Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah was detained under the Special Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), which allowed for detention without trial.

The also noted that Maria's lawyers had reported that she was being kept in a tiny windowless cell with no bed and with two light bulbs that are kept on the entire day.

"This is the first case where the government used Sosma against a civil society representative.

"The observers are alarmed at the conditions of detention and the use of Sosma against her," said the groups, who also sought the release of everyone who was detained in connection to the Bersih 5 rally.