Activists protest rights abuses

Activists protest rights abuses

BANGKOK (DPA): A group of Asian political activists staged protests at the Myanmar, Malaysian, Indonesian, Philippines and Singapore embassies in Bangkok on Thursday against growing violations of human rights in Southeast Asia.

Prompted by the recent arrest and apparent beating in detention of dismissed former Malaysian deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, about 16 demonstrators gathered outside the Malaysian embassy to wave placards and hand over a protest letter addressed to Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

The protesters waved banners outside the Malaysian embassy reading: "Why the madness Dr. M., Why?" and "We question your judgment, Dr M.," in reference to Mahathir's detention of Anwar and the serious charges brought against the man who was once his political heir.

The Thai activists called on Mahathir to end the police crackdown on pro-Anwar demonstrations in Malaysia, to release Anwar from jail and to scrap Malaysia's draconian Internal Security Act, which allows authorities to arrest and detain suspects without charges.