Borders bookstore has reiterated its call the Federal Territories Islamic Affairs Department to drop syariah charges against store manager Nik Raina Nik Abdul Aziz.

The syariah proceeding is set for mention tomorrow, despite the Court of Appeal having dismissed Jawi’s appeal against a High Court decision that Jawi’s raid on the bookstore in 2012 was illegal.

Nik Raina ( left ) was charged in the Syariah Court in on June 19, 2012, for distributing a publication offensive to Islam.

However, High Court found that Jawi acted illegally because the raid took place before the ban on the book ‘Allah, Love and Liberty’ by Canadian author Irshad Manji was gazetted.

“It has been three years since Nik Raina lost her absolute freedom to become a person who is currently under bail.

“It has been three years that Nik Raina has had to endure adversities in her life, including being looked upon with suspicion by the Muslim community,” Borders owner Berjaya Books Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Yau Su Peng said.

Borders earlier wrote to Jawi to seek the syariah charges against Nik Raina to be dropped, following the civil court decision, but was stonewalled by the Islamic department, Yau said.

Given the civil court findings, she said, Nik Raina should at least be released by way of a discharge not amounting to an acquittal so that her liberty is restored.

“Neither Jawi nor anyone else will suffer any prejudice,” she said.