The International

Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins our affiliate the National Union of

Journalists Malaysia (NUJ) in calling for a thorough investigation of the

attacks by police on more than twelve media personnel covering a public rally

in Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, on April 28, 2012.

According to various media

reports, more than 12 photographers and journalists from at least 13 media

outlets were intimidated, assaulted and/or detained by police while reporting

on the ‘Bersih 3.0’ public rally for electoral reform.

Victims include personnel

from Sin Chew Daily, Guang Ming Daily, The Star, Oriental News Daily,

The Sun, Malay Mail, China Press, Nanyang Business Daily, Al Jazeera, Malaysiakini, online news website Merdeka Review and AL Hijrah

TV.

Many were injured, with

some receiving injuries serious enough to require stitches and hospitalisation.

Low Boon Tat, a

photographer for The Star newspaper,

reported that he was surrounded by approximately ten uniformed police officers

while taking photos of the rally. They ordered him to delete photos from his

camera. When he refused, police knocked his camera against the wall and smashed

the lens.

A female photographer for the

China Press newspaper reported that

she was knocked down by a tear gas canister fired by police to disperse

protestors. Members of the fleeing crowd stepped over her body. She was sent to

hospital to treat her injuries. Her face remains swollen and sore after the incident.

The Malaysia Chinese

Photographer Association (MCPA) has called on all media personnel in Malaysia to

wear black clothing and a yellow ribbon on May 3, World Press Freedom Day, to voice

their condemnation of the police attacks.

“The IFJ joins the NUJ in

demanding Malaysia’s Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail fully

investigate these assaults,” IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said.

“It is alarming to witness

police officers threatening and assaulting journalists who are simply engaged

in reporting legitimate news stories. The press should be able to report freely

on events in the public interest, without fear for their personal safety.

We urge Inspector-General

Tan Sri Ismail to ensure that police officers fulfil their duty to protect the

safety of media personnel in the interests of press freedom”.

The

IFJ urges media personnel in Malaysia to support the MCPA’s campaign on World Press Freedom Day by wearing

black clothing with a yellow ribbon to show solidarity for the campaign against

police violence. 

For

further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +61 2 9333 0950 

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131

countries

Find the IFJ on Twitter: @ifjasiapacific

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