On 25 August 2011, a settlement was reached in the defamation suit by Japanese-company Asahi Kosei against human rights defender and lawyer Charles Hector Fernandez following a trial which lasted six months.

Further Information

Under the terms of the settlement, Charles Hector Fernandez must pay 2 Malaysian Ringgits (less than €1) in costs and damages to the Asahi Kosei company. As a part of the settlement, he is required to publicise an apology which will be printed as a half-page advertisement in two national newspapers, The Star, and The Nanyang Siang Pau, which will cost him 22,000 Malaysian Ringits (approximately €5,100). In addition, he has to pay 10,000 Malaysian Ringits (€2,310) to the court in legal fees.

Charles Hector Fernandez is a prominent human rights defender and lawyer in Malaysia. He was sued for US$3.3 million (appx. €2.3 million) by the Asahi Kosei company for defamation after he published information on his blog regarding human rights violations perpetrated against 31 Burmese migrant workers by the aforementioned company.

Front Line reiterates its call to the Malaysian authorities to guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Malaysia are able to carry out their human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.

Please see Front Line Defender's previous appeal on this case