Human Rights Watch said today that the Malaysian authorities should immediately drop charges against a rights activist accused of showing a film about Sri Lanka’s civil war without Censorship Board approval.
Lena Hendry, of the human rights group KOMAS, was charged under the Film Censorship Act for organizing a screening of “No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka” on July 3rd, 2013, in Kuala Lumpur.
Hendry, whose trial starts today, faces up to three years in prison and a fine of 9,500 dollars.
HRW said Malaysia should immediately drop the charges against Lena Hendry and find a way to undo the damage to Malaysia’s cultural reputation.