Malaysia: Wan Noor Hayati’s use of social media is not a crime

MALAYSIA, Kuala Lumpur, February 6, 2020 — The Coalition For Women In Journalism denounces the legal persecution of journalist Wan Noor Hayati Wan Alias. She has been charged with three counts of “causing public fear or alarm” regarding the coronavirus outbreak. We demand that all charges placed on her are dropped immediately.

After the charges were read out to her in the court before the Magistrate at the commercial crime investigation department, Wan pleaded not guilty. She has been accused of “inciting fear among the public” after she allegedly commented about the epidemic on a Facebook account called “Ibu Yati”.

The alleged comment in question included a warning against the arrival of 1,000 Chinese nationals on a cruise ship in Penang following the outbreak that originated from Chinese city Wuhan. But Yeoh Soon Hin, the tourism official of the state, claimed that the tourists from the cruise ship have all been medically examined.

If convicted for the charges, Wan could face imprisonment for a maximum penalty of six years - two for each charge - or a fine, or both. Wan was not offered bail but she pleaded for one. She was subsequently released on RM 12,000 worth in bail for the three charges. Her next hearing is set to take place on March 11.

Wan is an award-winning journalist with over 20 journalism accolades under her belt. She works for the Malay daily Berita Harian and English newspaper New Straits Times.

Women journalists in Malaysia are already striving to safely navigate the industry amid the cases of harassment and gender bias. The risk of being charged for something as personal and simple as commenting on a Facebook post will make it harder for them to continue their jobs.

Even though Malaysia is not as prominent in the Southeast Asian region when talking about press freedom violations. Its governments have, however, been known for silencing voices of dissent. At least five social media users were recently detained for allegedly sharing incorrect information about the coronavirus. If convicted, all of them could face imprisonment up to one year for “disseminating false information that “could disrupt national stability and public order”.

The government of Malaysia should understand that detaining and charging journalists, as well as social media users is no way to put the fake news law to test. Every journalist and citizens must possess the right to exercise freedom of speech without the fear of persecution.

We, at The Coalition, urge the Malaysian government to do better. We demand that all the charges placed on Wan are dropped, so she can continue with her journalism without any fear.

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The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world, and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

Follow us on Instagram @womeninjournalism and Twitter @CFWIJ. Our website is WomenInJournalism.org and we can be reached at press@womeninjournalism.org