Malaysian police chief says Al Jazeera staff questioned as "witnesses, not suspects"

Record ID: 1561691

  • Title: Malaysian police chief says Al Jazeera staff questioned as "witnesses, not suspects"
  • Date: 10th July 2020
  • Summary: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (JULY 10, 2020) (REUTERS) INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE ABDUL HAMID BADOR WALKING TOWARDS PODIUM REPORTERS SEATED REPORTER TYPING ON LAPTOP (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Malaysia) INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE ABDUL HAMID BADOR SAYING: "We did not want to judge them but the attorney general department after reviewing the documentary has determined that there were elements under the sedition act, penal code and communications and multimedia act." NEWS CONFERENCE ONGOING BADOR SEEN ON MOBILE SCREEN (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Malaysia) INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE ABDUL HAMID BADOR SAYING: "So we were asked to investigate and we carried out our investigation by calling them in. Six (people) came today, and the seventh will be coming in this evening or tomorrow. This last one was the person who uploaded the video. They are coming in as witnesses, not suspects." REPORTERS SITTING DURING NEWS CONFERENCE REPORTERS TYPING ON MOBILE PHONE (SOUNDBITE)(Bahasa Malaysia) INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE ABDUL HAMID BADOR SAYING: "PDRM (The Royal Malaysian Police) always upholds the freedom of the press. God willing, I will uphold the principle of freedom of responsible journalism. What had happened in this case was that the reports had sparked anger among the people." REPORTERS SITTING DURING NEWS CONFERENCE CAMERA FILMING VARIOUS OF BADOR TALKING END OF NEWS CONFERENCE/BADOR LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 24th July 2020 11:38
  • Keywords: Al Jazeera freedom of speech journalist media migrants police refugees
  • Location: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
  • City: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
  • Country: Malaysia
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice
  • Reuters ID: LVA001CM86LVR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Six employees of news broadcaster Al Jazeera were questioned by Malaysian police on Friday (July 10) over a documentary on the arrest of undocumented migrants that authorities have accused of being inaccurate, misleading and unfair.
    Rights groups have raised concerns over crackdowns on media freedoms under Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's government, which came into power in March, as well as rising anger toward foreigners, who are accused of spreading the coronavirus and burdening state resources.
    Al Jazeera's staff were called in after authorities determined its documentary contained elements that could be investigated under the country's sedition, criminal and communications law, national police chief Abdul Hamid Bador told reporters. "They are coming in as witnesses, not suspects," he added.
    "Locked up in Malaysia's Lockdown", aired by the Qatar-based station's 101 East news programme last week, focused on the plight of thousands of undocumented migrants detained during raids in areas under tight coronavirus lockdowns.
    In a statement, Al Jazeera called on Malaysia to withdraw the criminal probe, saying it stood by the "professionalism, quality and impartiality of its journalism".
    (Production: Ebrahim Harris)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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