Amnesty International has urged the Malaysian government to halt its practice of caning refugees and migrants, which the group describes is a “brutal practice” and “torture”.

Referring to Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein’s response in Parliament on March 9, that 29,759 foreigners were canned between 2005 and 2010 for immigration offences, Amnesty International said that this practice is prohibited under international law.

 

“The government’s figures confirm that Malaysia is subjecting thousands of people to torture and other ill-treatment each year.

“This is a practice which is absolutely prohibited under international law, no matter what the circumstances.

 

“As a first step, the Malaysian government has to immediately declare a moratorium on this brutal practice,” said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International Asia Pacific director.

Referring to a study by Amnesty International published in December last year, the group said that out of 57 cases studied it was concluded that the caning amounted to torture.

“The authorities had intentionally inflicted severe pain and suffering through the punishment of caning.

“While most countries have abolished judicial caning, Malaysia has expanded the practice. Parliament has increased the number of offenses subject to caning to more than 60.”

Not always migrants’ fault

According to Bukit Bendera MP Liew Chin Tong, the MP who had submitted the question in Parliament, at least 60 percent of the 29,759 foreigners were Indonesians.

Amnesty International argued that research had shown that many migrant workers in Malaysia are subjected to abuse by unscrupulous labour agents that often landed them unintentionally on the wrong side of the law, leading to their caning.

“Refugees are also caned for immigration violations in Malaysia. Since Malaysia has not yet ratified the UN Refugee Convention, asylum seekers are often arrested and prosecuted as illegal migrants.

“Burmese refugees in Malaysia have told Amnesty International how they live in fear after being caned,” said Amnesty International in a statement today.