Malaysia: Arrests in advance of rally for electoral reforms raise deep concerns

Arrests in advance of rally for electoral reforms raise deep concerns – Freedom House/IFEX, June 29, 2011
…Approximately one hundred activists have been arrested for wearing Bersih 2.0 t-shirts and/or distributing its leaflets since calls for the July 9 rally began. On the morning of June 29, authorities raided the offices of the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0), a coalition of civil society organizations campaigning for electoral reforms, without a warrant. The organization’s materials were confiscated and six staff members and one volunteer were arrested. The Malaysian government has made clear that the July 9 rally will not be permitted to take place and is considered “unlawful…”