Haris Ibrahim
Haris Ibrahim is a lawyer and a member of the steering committee of the Negara-ku People’s Movement, a movement initiated by a coalition of sixty-eight non-governmental organisations. In the face of growing political extremism in Malaysia, the movement aims to counter misinformation and promote an all inclusive society free of discrimination.
Human rights defenders in Malaysia face judicial harassment, arbitrary arrest, threats, intimidation and smear campaigns. HRDs active against corruption, calling for electoral reform and free and fair election are particularly vulnerable. HRDs who work in the eastern part of Malaysia and on the island of Borneo on indigenous rights face travel bans to the Peninsula and lack access to international support. As of June 2015, the Malaysian government has yet to accept requests made in 2002 and 2010 by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders to visit the country.
