LCHR Letter Marking Second Anniversary of Labor Activist's Arrest

The following letter was sent to Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, marking the beginning of a third year of detention for Tian Chua, world-renowned labor activist and vice president of the opposition Keadilan party. Dated April 9, 2003, the letter expresses the Lawyers Committee's grave concern that the Malaysian government has detained Chua under national security legislation not solely in order to maintain public order, and that this legislation is being selectively enforced against a legitimate, non-violent critic of government policy.

The letter states: "Strong independent trade unions and workers’ rights organizations contribute to economic growth, as Mr. Chua himself consistently argues. By downgrading rights and democracy, and by silencing pro-reform and labor activists such as Tian Chua, the Malaysian government risks undermining its economic position in the region."

LCHR Letter Marking Second Anniversary of Labor Activist's Arrest

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