Statement from Zunar: I will challenge the travel ban

(ENGLISH AND BAHASA)

I will challenge the travel ban

Yesterday (17 Oct 2016 at 2pm), inbound to Singapore for a forum, I was stopped by the immigration officer at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

I was told by the officer that the instruction came from the police for them to stop me from traveling. Upon checking further, another immigration officer who wanted to remain anonymous had confirmed that the instruction came directly from the Inspector General Of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar himself, taking effect on 24th June 2016.

The IGP and the Director General of Immigration have no right to stop or control my movement and barring me from leaving the country. Only the court does, and even then can only be carried out under specific laws.

The travel ban is done in bad faith and is politically motivated. It also violates the rights provided by the Malaysian Constitution to all citizens, and contradicts with the universal declaration of human rights.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of the Article 12 clearly states that everyone shall be free to leave any country, including his own. The declaration outlines further that the above-mentioned rights shall not be subjected to any restrictions, except those which are provided by law, are necessary to protect national security, public order, public health or morals or the rights and freedoms of others, and are consistent with the other rights recognized in the present Covenant.

Even though I am facing nine charges under the Sedition Act, I am still not convicted since my case shall only start on the 22nd of November this year. This clearly shows gross abuse of power and blatant violation of human rights by these individuals.

I will file a challenge to remove the ban and will drag (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and the Director General of Immigration to the court.

This is yet another form of long list harassment to stop me from drawing cartoons to expose corruption and injustice.

Last year the government slapped me with nine charges under Sedition Act with possibility of 43 years jail punishment if found guilty over the comments in my tweet. Before that, I was locked behind bars twice – first was on 24th September 2010 for two days and then on 10th of February 2015 for three days. Five of my cartoon books are banned and my office in Kuala Lumpur was raided a few times with thousands of my cartoon books confiscated.

The printers and bookstores around the country which carry my cartoon works have also been raided and warned not to print or sell my books in the future or their whole business licence will be revoked.. October 2014, three of my assistants were arrested for selling my cartoon books. The webmaster, who managed his website and online bookstore, was called in by the police for interrogating

They can ban my books, they can ban my cartoon, they can ban me from traveling, but they cannot ban my mind, I will keep drawing until the last drop of my ink. Talent is not a gift, talent is a responsibility.

Zunar

political Cartoonist

18 Oct 2016

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ZUNAR

Zunar (Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque) is  a political cartoonist from Malaysia. His slogan is “How Can I be Neutral, Even My Pen Has a Stand”.

Awards:

1)  “Courage in Editorial Cartooning Award 2011” by Cartoonists Right  Network International;

2) “Cartooning For Peace Award 2016” Geneva;

3) Human Rights Watch Hellman/Hammett Award for 2011 & 2015 ;

4) International Press Freedom Award, Committee to Protect Journalist, New York 2015.

Zunar

Political cartoonist

+6012 305 8262

http://www.zunar.my/

Twitter: Zunar Kartunis

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BAHASA MALAYSIA

Kenyataan dari kartunis Zunar

Saya akan cabar pengharam perjalanan

Semalam 17 Oktober 2016, jam 2 petang, dalam perjalanan ke Singapura untuk sebuah forum, saya telah dihalang dari keluar negara oleh pegawai imigresen di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur (KLIA).

Saya diberitahu oleh pegawai tersebut bahawa arahan datangnya dari pihak polis. Setelah menyemak lebih lanjut seorang pegawai imigresyen memberitahu bahawa arahan itu datang dari Ketua Polis Negara (KPN) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar sendiri dan ia berkuatkuasa sejak 24 Jun 2016.

Berdasarkan undang-undang, KPN dan Ketua Pengarah Immigresyen tidak punya hak untuk menghalang saya dari keluar negara. Hanya mahkamah mempunyai kuasa tersebut, itu pun hanya boleh dijalankan menurut undang-undang tertentu.

Tindakan menghalang saya dari keluar negara adalah satu tindakan bermotif politik dan berniat jahat serta bertentangan dengan Perlembagaan Negara.

Ia juga bertentangan dengan deklarasi hak asasi manusia sejagat.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights artikel 12 menyatakan dengan jelas bahawa setiap orang mempunyai kebebasan untuk ke luar negara, ini termasuk negara sendiri. Selanjutnya deklarasi itu menjelaskan bahawa hak-hak tersebut tidak boleh disekat kecuali jika diperuntukkan di bawah undang-undang, keperluan keselamatan negara, ketenteraman awam atau kesihatan.

Walau pun saya sedang menghadapi sembilan tuduhan di bawah Akta Hasutan, saya belum didapati bersalah kerana kes saya hanya akan mula didengar pada 22 November depan. Jelas tindakan ini merupakan peyalahgunaan kuasa dan pelanggaran hak asasi oleh KPN dan Ketua Pengarah Immigresen.

Saya akan memfailkan cabaran undang-undang tentang pengharaman perjalanan ini dan akan mengheret Ketua Polis Negara (KPN) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar dan Ketua Pengarah Immigresen ke mahkamah.

Ini adalah satu lagi episod dari senarai panjang untuk membisukan saya dari terus melukis kartun untuk mendedahkan rasuah dan ketidakadilan.

Tahun lepas, pihak berkuasa mendakwa saya dengan rekod sembilan tuduhan di bawah Akta Hasutan dengan hukuman kemungkinan maksima 43 tahun penjara kerana komen saya dalam twitter.

Sebelum itu, saya pernah dilokap dua kali di bawah Akta Hasutan – pertama kali pada tahun 2010 untuk dua hari dan pada Februari 2015 untuk tiga hari. Lima buku kartun saya diharamkan dan pejabat saya telah beberapa kali diserbu penguasa dan ribuan buku kartun dirampas.

Kilang pencetak dan kedai-kedai buku diseluruh negara diserbu dan mereka diugut akan ditarik lesen perniagaan sekiranya terus mencetak dan menjual buku-buku saya. Pada Oktober 2014, tiga pembantu jualan saya ditangkap. Selain itu, webmaster yang mengendali penjualan online buku-buku saya juga disoal siasat oleh pihak polis.

Saya ingin menegaskan akan terus melukis sehingga ke titisan dakwat terakhir. Bakat bukan anugerah tapi sebuah tanggungjawab. Mereka boleh mengharamkan kartun saya, mereka boleh mengharamkan perjalanan saya, tetapi mereka tidak akan dapat mengharamkan minda saya.

Zunar
political Cartoonist

18 Oct 2016

***********************************

ZUNAR

Zunar (Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque) is  a political cartoonist from Malaysia. His slogan is “How Can I be Neutral, Even My Pen Has a Stand”.

Awards:

1)  “Courage in Editorial Cartooning Award 2011” by Cartoonists Right  Network International;

2) “Cartooning For Peace Award 2016” Geneva;

3) Human Rights Watch Hellman/Hammett Award for 2011 & 2015 ;

4) International Press Freedom Award, Committee to Protect Journalist, New York 2015.

Zunar

Political cartoonist

+6012 305 8262

http://www.zunar.my/

Twitter: Zunar Kartunis