A Malaysian human rights activist was charged at the magistrate’s court in Kuala Lumpur today with the screening of a documentary, which was not cleared by the Film Censorship Board, on the alleged human rights violations during the Sri Lankan war.
Lena Hendry, 28, a Komas programme coordinator, claimed trial to screening the film “No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka” at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, Jalan Maharajalela, at 9pm on July 3, 2013.
She was charged under the Film Censorship Act 2002 and is liable to a maximum fine of RM30,000 or three years jail, upon conviction.
Magistrate Ashraf Rezal Abdul Manan granted her bail of RM1,000 in one surety and fixed October 21 for mention.
DPP Muhammed Husaini Rusli prosecuted while New Sin Yew, Andrew Khoo and Joshua Tay represented Hendry, The Malaysian Insider reported.
Hendry was arrested with two other coordinators, Anna Har and Arul Prakash, during a raid by the Home Ministry at the screening of the documentary on July 8, with Hendry the first to be produced in court.
Utusan Malaysia, in its report on the raid, had referred to the three Komas staff as being “suspected supporters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) militants”.
Komas is a movement for the Popular Communications for Human Rights in Malaysia.
