Migrant support group Tenaganita members and supporters today handed over part of the 137,600 signatures obtained for the "Keep Irene free, defend the defenders" global campaign to the Internal Security Ministry.

The campaign was launched last November, a month after Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez was sentenced to 12 months jail for "maliciously publishing false news".

She was charged under Section 8A(2) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 for releasing a memorandum entitled "Abuse, Torture and Dehumanised Treatment of Migrant Workers at Detention Camps" at a press conference in August 1995.

Fernandez, who is currently out on bail, filed her appeal against the sentence on Oct 17 but the High Court has yet to give a date for the hearing.

The Kuala Lumpur magistrates court, which found her guilty, allowed a stay of execution on the sentence pending the outcome of the appeal.

60,000 signatures

Meanwhile, her sister and campaign coordinator, Aegile said a total of 60,000 signatures were sent to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also the internal security minister.

"Large numbers of signatures and support letters have been sent directly (to the PM). People from all walks of life in Tamil Nadu (India) have sent 60,000 signatures (which were sent to the premier earlier) while we presented another 77,000 signatures to the ministry today," she said when contacted.

The petitioners urged Abdullah to keep Fernandez free from jail and defend her in her capacity as a human rights defender.

Aegile said the minister's private secretary Shahib Ahmad Shakir accepted the signatures at the ministry's office in Putrajaya.