Nurul Izzah, 19-year-old daughter of sacked deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, will be meeting United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights Mary Robinson on Monday in Geneva.

She is expected to appeal to Robinson, who is UN human rights chief and former president of Ireland, to help secure the release of her father.

On Wednesday, Izzah told the UN Human Rights Commission meeting, which is currently sitting in Geneva, that her father is a political prisoner and has no other recourse for justice.

"Members of this commission may think that I am naive and idealistic in seeking its help to solve the injustices in my country. The truth is, there is no other place left to seek mercy, when we cannot expect justice from the national institutions meant to protect our rights," she said.

"There is an urgent need to right wrongs inflicted upon him and the other innocents who have been targeted for no other reason than their association with my father or their peaceful work for reform."

She added that "like the children and family members of political prisoners around the world, we want our father to come home."

The commission meets annually to hear cases of human rights abuse from all over the world. It has the power to pass resolutions on human rights matters and put pressure on governments to adhere to international human rights norms.

Izzah is part of a six-member Malaysian delegation to the commission to highlight Malaysia's human rights record. On Tuesday, Suaram director Dr Kua Kia Soong spoke to the commission on the violations of economic, social and cultural rights.

Another member of the delegation, human rights activist Cynthia Gabriel, took the floor yesterday to draw the attention of the commission to "the continuing aggression against democracy in Malaysia".

"The latest violations of civil and political rights in Malaysia involve the use of draconian laws such as the Printing Presses and Publications Act, the Sedition Act, the Official Secrets Act and several provisions of the Police Act to silence dissent. These laws contravene the right to freedom of expression and assembly," she said.

Gabriel also responded to an earlier speech given by the representative of the Malaysian government's delegation to the commission, who had quoted Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad at the UN General Assembly in 1997 as having said " give us a break".

"This is exactly the message of our human rights activists to our government: 'Give us a break.' Stop violating our rights. Then at least you won't need to defend the indefensible," she said.