Malaysia: Lena Hendry convicted of airing uncensored documentary
Event- Country
- Malaysia
- Initial Date
- Feb 21, 2017
- Event Description
KUALA LUMPUR: Activist Lena Hendry is facing a jail sentence of up to three years or a fine of up to RM30,000 or both after the magistrate's court today convicted her of screening a documentary on the Sri Lankan civil war without prior approval from the Film Censorship Board (LPF). Lena, 32, who was standing in the dock, looked disappointed when magistrate Mohd Rehan Mohd Aris delivered the verdict. "After thorough deliberation of the evidences, the court finds that the defence has failed to raise a reasonable doubt in the prosecution's case. Therefore the accused is found guilty of the offence," Mohd Rehan said. However, the magistrate fixed March 22, for sentencing after Lena's counsel New Sin Yew asked for some time to submit on her mitigation. The court ordered for both parties to file a written submissions by March 1. After the proceeding, Lena told reporters that she was very disappointed with the judgement and that she will be filing an appeal against the decision. On March 10, last year, the magistrate's court here acquitted and discharged Lena without having her defence called. However, on Sept 21, the same year, the High Court overturned her acquittal and ordered her to enter defence. Lena who is a former programme coordinator for Pusat KOMAS, a human rights organisation, was charged on Sept 19, 2013 with screening a documentary entitled "No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka" without approval from the Censorship Board. She was accused of committing the offence at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall here, at 9pm on July 3, 2013. Her charge was under Section 6(2)(a) of the Film Censorship Act 2002. Deputy public prosecutor Nurakmal Farhan Aziz prosecuted. UPDATE: On 22 March 2017, Ms. Lena Hendry was sentenced to pay RM 10,000 (approximately US$2,250) or spend one year in jail by the Magistrate Court in Kuala Lumpur. Magistrate Mohd Rehan Modh Aris granted her a stay of execution on her jail sentence pending an appeal on the conviction. Ms. Lena Hendry paid the fine and avoided imprisonment. UPDATE: On 8 April 2017, the public prosecutor has filed an appeal for a more severe punishment after not satisfied with the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate's Court imposition of a RM10,000 fine on Lena Hendry.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- Censorship
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Media freedom
- HRD
- NGO staff
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Active
- Event Location
Latitude: 3.139002999999997
Longitude: 101.686855
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 21 February 2017, Activist Lena Hendry is facing a jail sentence of up to three years or a fine of up to RM30,000 or both after the magistrate's court convicted her of screening a documentary on the Sri Lankan civil war without prior approval from the Film Censorship Board (LPF) On 22 March 2017, Lena Hendry was fined RM10,000 in default one year's jail by the magistrate's court for screening a documentary on the Sri Lankan civil war without prior approval.