Cartoonist Zunar will have to wait until July 23 to learn the outcome of his civil suit for unlawful arrest, as the Kuala Lumpur High Court has postponed delivering its decision.

Justice Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera said today that the court wants parties to further address the issue of unlawful arrest under Article 5(3) of the federal constitution, on the individual's right to be informed of the reason for arrest.

"Parties are given two weeks to submit their reply and the court will make its decision on July 23," the judge said.

Zunar and Sepakat Elektif Sdn Bhd - of which he is the director - are the plaintiffs in the civil suit filed for unlawful detention.

They named arresting officer Arikrishna Apparau, investigating officer Marina Hashim, Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar, the Home Ministry and the government as defendants.

NONE In his statement of claim, Zunar questioned the basis of his arrest, detention and seizure of his works, including copies of ‘Cartoon-o-phobia’.

He claimed that the action was unlawful and had violated his freedom of expression under the constitution.

He is seeking general, exemplary and aggravated damages, an order that his works be returned to him and special damages of RM1,650 for the artwork.

Following his arrest, he had been taken to several police stations in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor and had to spend a night under remand at the KL International Airport police lock-up.

                                    

Zunar, whose real name Zulkiflee SM Anwar Ulhaque, had testified that he had  asked the police for the grounds for his arrest, but that they failed to state clearly which of his works was in breach of the law.

Instead, he had been told that he was being investigated for sedition.

When his lawyer questioned the police, the response was that the seizure of the books had been carried out under provisions of the Printing Presses and Publications Act.

Zunar had previously defended his work as a “a political commentary on current affairs”.

‘Cartoon-o-phobia’ is a compilation of his cartoons published by Malaysiakini and distributed by Sepakat Efektif.