APPEALS by activist Lena Hendry against her conviction for screening a documentary without approval and the public prosecutor for an enhanced sentence were struck out by the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.

This comes after Hendry and the prosecution agreed to withdraw their respective appeals to her conviction and sentence.

A statement from rights group Pusat KOMAS today said the public prosecutor had withdrawn its appeal for a heavier sentence, while Hendry’s defence lawyer had withdrawn her appeal against her conviction and sentence. The appeal was to have been heard today.

Hendry was convicted of violating the Film Censorship Act by screening the human rights documentary “No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka” in July 2013. 

She was acquitted and discharged by the magistrate’s court last year. But the prosecution appealed against the acquittal and she was eventually convicted.

She was also fined RM10,000.

Pusat Komas welcomed the development noting that Hendry had been “unjustly targeted and persecuted for merely carrying out her human rights work”.

“She should, instead, be provided with protection and recognition for the work she has been doing as a human rights defender. Human rights defenders and government critics in Malaysia continue to be at risk of arrest, detention and judicial harassment for speaking out,” it said.

Pusat Komas said Hendry should never have been charged, as Malaysia should be upholding freedom of expression and protecting human rights defenders from violence and threats.

Hendry, who is a former Pusat Komas programme director, said she welcomed the DPP’s withdrawal of the case and called for a stop to the harassment and prosecution of human rights defenders.

“I decided to withdraw my appeal as well as I have lost faith in the judiciary and there are bigger battles to be fought outside without draining my energy in a long-drawn court proceedings. I am currently overseas doing my masters in human rights, and would like to spend more time focusing on that.

“Censorship is continuing to be a big problem and shows that the government acted in bad faith for prosecuting me for highlighting a very important human rights issue. 

“The prosecution of human rights defenders has to stop and more effort and resources should be put in place for the real criminals out there.

“The fight will not stop (and) we will continue to do our work to prevent this law from affecting the lives of Malaysians,” she said in comments posted on Pusat Komas’ Facebook page. – December 14, 2017.