Ms. Ambiga Sreenevasan, a Malaysian Indian Hindu leader of BERSIH, a civil society movement calling for free and fair elections, is currently the target of severe and sustained harassment and intimidation because of her legitimate human rights activities. Ms. Sreenevasan has been facing threats since 2011, and the harassment is now intensifying as she is being subjected to threats at her private home, calls for her death and deprivation of her citizenship, from a local politician and other group leaders. Ms. Sreenevasan and Abdul Samad Said are the co-chairs of the civil society movement, the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (known as BERSIH). BERSIH is a coalition of 84 non-government organisations unaffiliated to any political party (http://bersih.org). While both co-chairs have been publicly vocal leaders of the BERSIH movement, only Ms. Sreenevasan has been the target of escalating harassment and attacks which focus on her gender and her ethnicity and religion. Threats and harassment include those committed in early May 2012, where images of Ms. Sreenevasan were burned at gatherings of local groups opposed to the activism of BERSIH. The exterior of her home was damaged, with protestors shouting "Go to hell Ambiga, go to hell you Hindu infidel". She has been referred to as "the anti-Christ for Muslims" in quotes in newspapers. When asked why they were targeting Ambiga specifically, and not BERSIH co-chair Abdul Samad Said, chairman of the group Jamal Md Yunus replied "Kita lihat, kita suka Ambiga. Dan kita lihat dia ini lebih cantik daripada orang lain. Kami minat dengan dia. Kita suka tengok dia" ("We like Ambiga. She is prettier than other people. We take interest with her. We like to see her.). She has also recently been subjected to sexual harassment by members of Malay Armed Forces Veterans Association (PVTM) who conducted "bottoms exercises" 15 May outside her home. On 26 June, a local politician publicly called for her to be hanged for her "treasonous" act of organising the 28 April rally for free and fair elections. Ambiga's activism in defence of human rights and fundamental freedoms of LGBTIs render another justification for threats against her. A prominent political party leader made a clear remark that as Muslims they will declare a war against Ambiga's activism and not keep their mouths shut. On 1 July, Ambiga confirmed to the media that she has received an email advising her to be careful. It was reported that the email allegedly said, "Beware hired guns out to kill you", and claimed that a particular group had contracted two thugs to "terminate" her. On 30 June 2012,. Ambiga receives email warning that thugs had been sent to kill her. In an email titled "Beware hired guns out to kill you", she was warned that a "particular group had contracted two thugs to "terminate' her." She has lodged a police report on the matter. On 26 June 2012, a lawmaker calls for Ambiga to be hanged. During a debate in Parliament, the Member of Parliament for Sri Gading, Mohamad Aziz, called for Ambiga to be hanged for her "treasonous" act of coordinating the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28. He compared Ambiga to the leaders of the Al-Ma'unah militants, a revolutionary group that attempted to overthrow the government and were later executed for treason. He described Ambiga as a "traitor" and asked, "Shouldn't we also hang Ambiga for treason towards the Agong?" He later conditionally retracted his statement. Mohamad Aziz also exhorted not to let ""pendatang asing' (foreign migrants) and "awang hitam' (colloquial expression used to refer to Africans and dark-skinned migrants) run riot in our country." On 19 June 2012, Ambiga is billed by Kuala Lumpur City Hall for alleged costs and damages from Bersih 3.0 rally. Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has sent Ambiga and Maria Chin Abdullah, a Bersih steering committee member, a bill to ask for compensation for alleged losses incurred during the April 28 rally. The bill, totalling RM 351,203.45, was delivered to Ambiga's house and contained an itemized list of charges including damage to landscaping, transportation and food for staff, and the cost of metal barricades. The letter holds Ambiga and Maria personally responsible for all alleged damages. On the evening of May 24, at least two groups gathered down the road from Ambiga's house. The police had set up a road block a few houses down. Enforcement officers from Kuala Lumpur City Hall were also present. One group of around 50 people, Gerakan Belia Gagasan 1Malaysia, gathered, shouting "Bersih kotor!" (Bersih is dirty) and "Halau Ambiga!" (Chase away Ambiga). The group's president, Shahrul Nasrun Kamaruddin, and four others were allowed to walk to Ambiga's house to deliver a flier, which was accepted by Bersih co-chair Abdul Samad Said. The flier was "titled "10 Reasons why Ambiga should be expelled from Malaysia', and carried an image apparently depicting a devil with two horns and red skin, and its face covered by a mask of Ambiga's face." It labelled Ambiga as a colonialist, traitor, and the devil, among others. A second group of around 20 people, the Kuala Lumpur Petty Traders Action Council, also gathered near Ambiga's house. The group's chairperson, Jamal Md Yunus, announced that the group would not set up stalls outside Ambiga's house, having on May 21 announced plans to do so. They left after handing over a memorandum at Ambiga's house, which was accepted by Abdul Samad Said. At least 30 motorcyclists also gathered, though it is unclear if they belonged to either group. Besides Abdul Samad Said, members from various NGOs were also at Ambiga's house in solidarity. On 23 May 2012, Ambiga was served a writ of summons and statement of claim by the federal government, claiming RM122,000 in damages allegedly incurred during the Bersih rally on April 28, 2012. Ambiga, eight other Bersih Steering Committee members, and one former Steering Committee member, were named as defendants. The government is suing the Bersih organisers under Section 6(2)(g) of the newly enforced Peaceful Assembly Act. The case is scheduled for mention on June 13 at the Kuala Lumpur High Court. On May 21, the Kuala Lumpur Petty Traders Action Council announced plans to set up stalls in front of Ambiga's house to reportedly "convey anger over the April 28 rally which purportedly resulted in petty traders incurring financial losses." The protest was planned for May 24 and 25. Members of the group gathered outside Ambiga's house and painted yellow markings on the road to mark spaces for the stalls. One member of the group uttered "Mampoi Ambiga - mampoi Hindu Kafir," (roughly "Go to hell Ambiga - go to hell Hindu infidel") while making the markings. When asked why they were targeting Ambiga specifically, and not Bersih co-chair Abdul Samad Said, chairman of the group Jamal Md Yunus replied "Kita lihat, kita suka Ambiga. Dan kita lihat dia ini lebih cantik daripada orang lain. Kami minat dengan dia. Kita suka tengok dia" ("We like Ambiga. She is prettier than other people. We take interest with her. We like to see her.). Ambiga has lodged a police report, and neighbours have also filed complaints to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall. Later on May 21, the Mayor of City Hall said that City Hall would not allow the group to carry out their protest. City Hall has since cleared up the paint marks, and police have also made rounds by the house. On the evening of May 19, around 200 people, including members of the right wing Malay NGO Perkasa, pelted stones and eggs at attendees of an event that planned to feature Ambiga. The event took place in Merlimau, Melaka, and was attended by around 300 people, including two opposition state assemblypersons. One assemblyman's car was reportedly ambushed while he was driving - his car was hit with eggs and both side mirrors were broken. Another attendee's car's side window was smashed. Because of the concerns that "some parties may have intentions to "create chaos,'" Ambiga cancelled plans to attend the event at the last minute. On 17 May 2012, a group led by Roslan Ahmad, Merlimau state assemblyman and member of the ruling coalition, lodged a police report at the Merlimau police station objecting to Ambiga's scheduled visit to the town for an event on May 19. The group stated that because of Ambiga's involvement in street demonstrations and support for the LGBT movement, she was not welcome in the town.Present with Roslan when lodging the report were "assemblyman Datuk Hasan Abd Rahman, and representatives from the Malaysian Association of Youth Clubs (MAYC), 4B Youth Movement, Islamic Welfare Organisation of Malaysia (Perkim), Village Headman Association (Sidang), Majlis Gabungan Belia Melaka (MGBM) Jasin, Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) and members of the Jasin Wanita and Umno Youth wings." In the morning of 15 May, about ten people from the Malay Armed Forces Veterans Association (PVTM) did "bottom exercises' in front of Ambiga's house. The exercises consisted of the men leaning over and shaking their bottoms in the direction of Ambiga's house. The PVTM president, Mohd Ali Baharom, reportedly referred to Ambiga as the enemy of the nation and said, "We Armed Forces veterans have the right to protest against an "enemy' who tried to smear the nation's name." Mohd Ali Baharom was also reported to have said, "We are giving a stern warning to Ambiga to immediately apologise to the Malaysian people regarding Bersih and free sex." On 14 May 2012, referring to a protest by traders outside Ambiga's house on 10 May, deputy police chief Khalid Abu Bakar was reported to have said in a press conference, "Well, there is no offence. What offence? If you want to sit in front of her house without disrupting other people, there is no offence." After a journalist pointed out that it was an invasion of privacy, Khalid Abu Bakar said "Which privacy? They didn't enter her house, they were in public space." Khalid Abu Bakar was also reported to have said, "Police will not take action against them. Under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2011, people can hold a gathering as long as they have given notice and acknowledged to the police where to gather." On 10 May 2012, Malaysia Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Alliance (Ikhlas) set up a burger stall outside Ambiga's personal residence protesting that they had lost earnings during the BERSIH 3.0 public rally. A video depicts at least one of the protesters aggressively shouting towards Ambiga's house. Ambiga has said that since this protest, several people have come to her house requesting free burgers. The traders threatened that they would hold a bigger protest in front of her house on 24 May 2012. On 7 May 2012, in a gathering in Kuala Terrenganu an image of Ambiga was burned. Gerakan Kebangkitan Rakyat (Gertak) chairman Datuk Razali Idris reportedly said, "We condemn Ambiga's action, which has become the source of disunity among the people in the country now. She is also a supporter of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) group. Therefore, we urge the government to take stern action against her, including stripping her of citizenship. We don't want individuals like her to destroy the country." The government-owned New Straits Times newspaper favourably reported the gathering as "peaceful" while depicting a photo of Ambiga's burning image. On 5 May 2012, iIn Baling, 500 members of purportedly non-government organisations, although with ties to the government, including Perkasa, the Malaysian Youth Council, JKKP Baling, Baling Siamese Association, Pekida, Baling Women's and Wives Association and Puteri Umno and Malay traders gathered to burn an effigy of Ambiga and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and called for the government to revoke Ambiga's citizenship. Shopping centre management bodies directed shop owners to close their businesses on the day of the BERSIH 3.0 rally. Claiming that huge losses were sustained owing to these closures, Malaysia Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Alliance (Ikhlas) president Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah was reported to have said, "We urge the government to arrest Ambiga and chase her out of the country___If the Home Ministry fails to do it, we will stage a rally in front of Ambiga's house and do business over there." On 4 May 2012, the deputy chief head of the Election Commission, Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, reportedly said that the Election Commission would not engage with BERSIH and, referring to Ambiga, said, "We will not deal with the destroyer of democracy again." On 23 April 2012, the former deputy president of a Malaysian political party, PAS, Nasharuddin Mat Isa was reported in a mainstream English-language newspaper as saying that Ambiga's perceived support for "LGBT activities" meant that she was a threat to society. He was quoted as saying that, "Based on an edict by (prominent Muslim cleric) Yusof al-Qardhawi, one cannot eat or drink with them, let alone be a follower." He said of those supporting the removal of laws that criminalise homosexuality that, "As Muslims, we are responsible to declare a war against this and not keep our mouths shut." On 21 April 2012, at a rally against homosexuality held at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) posters depicting Ambiga and Pak Samad were burned. The rally was organised by a non-government organisation called Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM). At the event, which was fuelled by hate-speech, slogans such as "Reject Ambiga, Reject LGBT" were shouted and posters depicting Ambiga and Pak Samad were burned. On 17 April 2012, www.bersih.org was attacked in an apparent distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack. The site became inaccessible for 13 hours. Such attacks are an attempt to deny the right to freedom of expression. In an interview published on 6 April 2011, Perkasa Youth chief Irwan Fahmi was quoted as saying: -\t"I will fight to whatever extent___ I am going to fight her [Ambiga]. I do not care. I am not a politician, I have nothing to lose." -\tHe said that Ambiga "supported Seksualiti Merdeka___ and so many other issues, going against Islamic principles. I cannot accept it anymore. She is the anti-Christ for Muslims." -\tHe also said "I hope that all Muslims in this country will stay true to their religion and stay away from Bersih 3.0 because it is led by someone who is not only a traitor to the country but also to Muslims." On 9 July 2011, Ambiga was targeted by police on the day of the BERSIH 2.0 rally. While attempting to exit a building, Ambiga and those walking with her were fired upon with tear gas by the police. The police fired the tear gas from both directions of the walkway. Ambiga was quoted as saying, "I really thought I was going to die. There was an excessive use of tear gas___I could not breathe ... I could not see. My bodyguard had to literally drag me out." On 2 July 2011, Prime Minister Najib Razak stated in a public speech, "Who doesn't know Ambiga. She's the one who threatened Islam," referring to an apostasy case from the time Ambiga was chairperson of the Bar Council. For the Prime Minister to attack Ambiga in the wake of death threats against her is grossly irresponsible and implies that the government condones such threats. On 22 June 2011, Ambiga and other activists received a vicious text message which stated, "if this rally happens, me and my people will kill Ambiga." The police promised to investigate, but the sender of the threat has yet to be found and prosecuted. On 19 June 2011, at an event organised by several NGOs including Perkasa, banners depicting Ambiga's image were burned and leaflets were distributed with the text "Beware!! Ambiga is a dangerous Hindu woman." The leader of the group, Ibrahim Ali was quoted as saying, "We will wage a war against them at all cost to stop them from demonstrating because we want a peaceful nation."