Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu and PKR vice-president Tian Chua, along with 11 others, remain acquitted and discharged on an illegal assembly charge in relation to Bersih 1, the Court of Appeal ruled today.

In doing so, the appellate court upheld the decisions of the Sessions Court and High Court in acquitting and discharging them.

The decision was conveyed to Malaysiakini by lawyer Faiz Fadzil. This was the final avenue of appeal for the prosecution.

The unanimous decision was made by a three-member bench led by Court of Appeal President Md Raus Sharif.

The other two judges were Court of Appeal judges Hamid Sultan Abu Backer and Zamani A Rahim.

The Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur had on Feb 27, 2013, freed Mat Sabu, Tian Chua and 12 others of participating in an illegal assembly during the Bersih rally in 2007, and refusing orders to disperse.

Sessions judge Jagjit Singh Bant Singh said he was satisfied with the testimonies of Mohamad and Tian Chua, and that there had been no impediment for them to submit the memorandum to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong during the protest.

Mohamad, popularly known as Mat Sabu, had told the court that he had police permission to walk to the palace for the submission of the memorandum.

That decision of the Sessions Court was upheld by the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.