The Education Ministry should immediately reinstate the seven university students suspended for alleged participation in a peaceful anti-Internal Security Act (ISA) demonstration, said the National Human Rights Society (Hakam).

Its president Ramdas Tikamdas, who described the suspension as a "flagrant misuse and abuse of laws" and "an unjust and arbitrary exercise of administrative powers", urged the Attorney-General to drop the charges against them.

He said the students' participation in the peaceful assembly was "a demonstration of social conscience" and that such awareness should be encouraged and not punished.

"The expression of their views on a matter of national concern in the defence of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of their fellow countrymen is not contrary to the spirit of our laws to justify the harsh, unconscionable and unjust treatment," he said in a statement.

Dubbed the ISA 7 - Rafzan Ramli, Helma Sanudin, Khairul Amal Mahmood, Ahmad Kamal Abdul Hamid, Wan Sanusi Wan Mohd Noor, Nik Noorhafizi Nik Ismail and Zulkifli Idris - are from Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi Mara.

Reminder

Ramdas also reminded the government's commitment towards upholding the principles under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

Although the convention refers to a child aged 18 years and below, he said the civil and educational rights of youths in tertiary institutions of higher learning "cannot be any less than that afforded to our children in the schools".

Ramdas also chided the universities for appearing to side the government.

"Universities as the bastions of learning and social consciousness must set the right example and should not be seen as being mere appendages of the executive exercising their powers arbitrarily and capriciously without principle."

"Even before the students have been tried in a court of law and found guilty, they have been punished by suspension and have had their education interrupted."

He said universities were supposed to defend and uphold the most basic principles of human rights and fundamental freedoms instead of condoning the violations.

On Thursday, Education Minister Musa Mohamad demanded an apology in return for their reinstatement.

Apology not right

Ramdas said Musa's decision to order the students' reinstatement only after an apology is proffered was befuddling.

"An apology is the right to do if one is wrong. But to demand an apology from the students for demonstrating (in this instance) cannot be right.

"Not that it is a material on the issue of expression of opinion, but in this instance, it must also be borne in mind that the students expressed an opinion on the ISA consistent with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia's recommendations."

The commission, its review report on the ISA, recommended that the law be scrapped and if needed, replaced with a comprehensive legislation which clearly defines the type of offences that can be categorised as national security.

The recommendations have been forwarded to Parliament for consideration.