Malaysian lawyers denied from taking part in Walk for Judicial Independence
Malaysia
It has been reported that Malaysian lawyers were denied by the Malaysian police to march from Padang Merbok to the Parliament in the Walk for Judicial Independence on 17 June 2022. The Walk for Judicial Independence was meant to be a peaceful protest against interference with the independence of the Judiciary, and breaches of the fundamental principle of separation of powers.
The plan of the Walk for Judicial Independence was to hand over the Malaysian Bar’s memorandum in relation to the judicial independence to YB Datuk Wira Mas Ermieyati binti Samsudin, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law).
The members of the Malaysian Bar gathered at 10:00 am on 17 June. After speeches by the Office Bearers of the Bar Council, Members of the Bar, led by the President of the Malaysian Bar, the group of lawyers headed to parliament to present the memorandum. However, the police blockade prevented the lawyers from leaving their meeting spot and thus blocking their movement. In the end, the memorandum was handed over by the President to the Deputy Minister who made her way to place the lawyers were confined to.
A statement was issued by the Officer in Charge of the Police District of Dang Wangi that the police would call upon the lawyers who participated in the Walk for Judicial Independence for an investigation that would be conducted in relation to the Walk for Judicial Independence, which they followed up. It has been reported that three lawyers, the President of the Malaysian Bar, the Chief Executive Officer of the Bar Council Secretariat and a Bar Council member have been called by the police to give statements.