‘Public campaign’ against Al Jazeera report puts media freedom, migrants at risk - NGOs

Several international NGOs said the Malaysian government’s "targeting" of Al Jazeera and migrants interviewed in their recent controversial report is putting media freedom as well as the lives of migrants and refugees at risk.

In a joint statement, Amnesty International, Civicus World Alliance for Citizen Participation and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) called on the Perikatan Nasional government to cease its investigations against the Al Jazeera team under laws “incompatible with international human rights law and standards and (which) should be repealed by the legislature”.

“Rather than addressing the concerns raised in the documentary, the government has instead sought to question the reporters involved and pursue migrant workers who spoke with the media outlet.

“By initiating a public campaign against migrants and refugees and publishing personal details of the migrant workers who were featured, the authorities have also placed the lives and safety of those interviewed in jeopardy,” read the statement sent last night.

Several Al Jazeera staff has recently been questioned following a police probe into the July 3 101 East documentary “Locked Up in Malaysia’s Lockdown” on Malaysia’s crackdown and handling of undocumented migrants during Covid-19 pandemic.

The Qatar-based news broadcast company is being investigated under the Sedition Act, Penal Code and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

Authorities are also searching for a migrant worker interviewed on the segment, publishing his details and images to the public.

In the statement, the NGOs also expressed concern on the warning issued by immigration authorities that migrants risked having their immigration passes cancelled if they made “inaccurate statements” against the country.

“The government’s subsequent threats...appears intended to intimidate other migrant workers from speaking up about human rights violation, abuses, and mistreatment.

“These actions have resulted in a worrying rise in intolerance towards freedom of expression, including critical views.”

The documentary angered the government - with many ministers including Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin defending government treatment of migrants - and raised allegations of purported misrepresentation of facts.

However, Al Jazeera claimed in its report that they had sought to speak with Ismail, Hamzah, and their deputies for comments prior to the airing of the report, but their requests were not entertained.

The international news organisation also allegedly attempted to attend Ismail’s press conferences but were told only state media could attend.

Since the airing of the report, several Al Jazeera staff in Malaysia and the migrant interviewee have been subject to threats and other forms of harassment, including doxxing.

Al Jazeera, however, continues to stand by its report and denounced harassment faced by its staff.

On Saturday, top cop Abdul Hamid Bador (below) assured all journalists in the country of their safety and pledged commitment to upholding media freedom.

“If there have been threats made, they can come forward and make a report and we, the police, will investigate it,” he said.

The inspector-general of police also urged the interviewee being sought to come forward and guaranteed the latter’s safety should he do so.

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COMMENT | Probe the allegations, not the journalists who report them

Al Jazeera stands by its documentary, concerned over harassment of its staff