CAP Freedom of Conscience October 2024
Malaysia’s human rights record has come under increasing scrutiny, with the country’s treatment of religious minorities and its compliance with international standards on freedom of religion emerging as key areas of concern.
According to submissions[i] to the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process, Malaysia continues to face significant issues in this domain. The European Center for Law and Justice (ECLJ) stated that apostasy and proselytization are prohibited in an overwhelming majority of states in Malaysia, and that blasphemy is criminalized at the national level. ADF International recommended that Malaysia amend its National Registration Act to remove all references to religion on national identity cards, while the Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia (JKOASM) called on the country to immediately stop its policy of assimilating the Orang Asli indigenous group into Islam and the Malay section of society.
The UPR Working Group[ii] itself recommended that Malaysia repeal or amend laws that undermine human rights, including the rights to freedom of religion or belief, such as the Sedition Act 1948. The Working Group also urged Malaysia to review, amend or abolish, within a clear time frame, legal provisions that violate or limit the right to freedom of religion and opinion, and bring them into line with international standards.
One particularly troubling case is the ongoing persecution and discrimination faced by the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL) community in Malaysia. The AROPL community has long been targeted by the authorities, who have labeled them as “deviants” and banned their activities. According to the CAP Liberté de Conscience (or any other source) article[iii] “The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light Community in Malaysia Facing Escalating Persecution and Discrimination,” Ahmadis in Malaysia continue to be denied the right to practice their faith freely, with their places of worship subjected to raids and closures. The article highlights that this blatant violation of the Ahmadi community’s right to freedom of religion is a clear example of Malaysia’s failure to comply with the UPR recommendations on this issue.
[i] https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/g23/228/13/pdf/g2322813.pdf
[ii] https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/g24/034/50/pdf/g2403450.pdf
[iii] https://freedomofconscience.eu/the-ahmadi-religion-of-peace-and-light-aropl-community-in-malaysia-facing-escalating-persecution-and-discrimination/
