The Human Rights Film Network, along with film festivals worldwide, urgently calls on the authorities in Malaysia to immediately and unconditionally drop all investigations and acts of intimidation directed at Anna Har, the director of FreedomFilmFest Malaysia, Amin Landak, a cartoonist, and all individuals involved in the production and screening of the short animated film on police torture titled “Chili Powder and Thinner.”
Forum Asia, Amnesty Malaysia, Civicus, and the Centre for Independent Journalism, among other organizations, have also condemned these investigations. They too call for an end to the intimidation and for the investigations to be dropped.
If you would like to add your support by signing this letter, please email us at [email protected]. We will list the names of the festivals and organizations that sign the letter later.
Text of the open letter:
We, the undersigned representatives of the Human Rights Film Network and film festivals from around the world, strongly urge the authorities of Malaysia to immediately and unconditionally drop all investigations and acts of intimidation against Anna Har, the director of FreedomFilmFest Malaysia, Amin Landak, the cartoonist, and all individuals involved in the production and screening of the short animated film “Chili Powder and Thinner,” which addresses police torture.
On July 2, Anna Har, the director of FreedomFilmFest, and Amin Landak were summoned for questioning by the police regarding the production and online screening of this film. On the same day, police raided the FreedomFilmFest office and Amin’s home, confiscating computers, modems, and other equipment. On July 6, four more activists, including three members of SUARAM, a human rights organization that co-produced the film, and a guest speaker at the screening event, were also called in for questioning.
Anna and Amin are now under investigation and face potential charges for defamation, publishing materials likely to cause fear or alarm to the public, and improper use of network facilities or services.
We believe this to be a clear form of intimidation and harassment against human rights defenders, filmmakers, artists, and storytellers who are simply highlighting human rights abuses. This is a direct violation of international standards regarding freedom of expression.
We, the undersigned, stand in solidarity with Anna, Amin, and the other human rights activists being investigated in this case, and we call on the authorities to drop all charges against them.
Investigate the issue, not the messenger.
#standwithFFN
#FreeFreedomFilmFest
Human Rights Film Network
1905 International Human Rights Film Festival, Hong Kong
ACT Human Rights Film Festival
Active Vista International Human Rights Film Festival, Philippines
Bergen International Film Festival
Censurados Film Festival, Peru
Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, Ukraine
Document Film Festival, Scotland
Festival de Cine y Derechos Humanos, San Sebastian
Festival del Cinema dei Diritti Umani di Napoli
Festival du Film et Forum International sur les Droits Humains (FIFDH), Switzerland
Festival Internacional de Cine de Derechos Humanos, Argentina
FiSahara (Western Sahara International Film Festival)
Human International Documentary Film Festival, Oslo
Human Rights Nights, Italy
International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival “Inconvenient Films”, Lithuania
International Human Rights Film Festival in Albania
Karama Beirut Human Rights Film Festival
MOVE IT! Filmfestival, Germany
Movies that Matter Festival, Netherlands
Muestra de Cine Internacional Memoria Verdad Justicia / International Film Festival Memory Truth Justice, Guatemala
Muestra de Cine Social y Derechos Humanos de Asturies (MUSOC), Spain
Nepal Human Rights Film Festival
Nuremberg International Human Rights Film Festival
One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, Czech Republic
Red Carpet Human Rights Film Festival, Palestine
WATCH DOCS. Human Rights in Film International Film Festival, Poland
WATCH DOCS Belarus, Belarus
Vermont International Film Festival, USA