Irene Fernandez | |
|---|---|
) Fernandez in 2008 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Irene Fernandez 18 April 1946 Malaysia |
| Died | 31 March 2014 (aged 67) Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia |
| Citizenship | Malaysian |
| Political party | People's Justice Party |
| Residence | Malaysia |
| Occupation | Human rights activist Politician |
| Awards | Right Livelihood Award |
Irene Fernandez (18 April 1946 – 31 March 2014) was a Malaysian human rights activist and politician. She was a People's Justice Party (KeADILan) supreme council member [1] and the director and co-founder of the non-governmental organization Tenaganita, which promotes the rights of migrant workers and refugees in Malaysia.[2]
In 1995, Irene Fernandez published a report on the living conditions of the migrant workers entitled "Abuse, Torture and Dehumanised Conditions of Migrant Workers in Detention Centres".[3] The report was based in part on information given to her by Steven Gan and a team of reporters from The Sun, who had uncovered evidence that 59 inmates, primarily Bangladeshis, had died in the Semenyih immigration detention camp of the preventable diseases typhoid and beriberi.[4][5] When Gan and his colleagues were blocked by Sun editors from printing the report in the paper, they passed it to Fernandez.[6]
She was arrested in 1996 and charged with 'maliciously publishing false news'.[6] After seven years of trial, she was found guilty in 2003 and convicted to one year's imprisonment. Released on bail pending her appeal, her passport was held by the courts, and as a convicted criminal, she was barred from standing as parliamentary candidate in the 2004 Malaysian elections.
In 2005, she was awarded the Right Livelihood Award for "her outstanding and courageous work to stop violence against women and abuses of migrant and poor workers".[7]
Irene Fernandez's appeal at the High Court resumed on 28 October 2008. On 24 November 2008, Justice Mohamed Apandi Ali overturned her earlier conviction and acquitted her, ending the thirteen-year case.[8][9]
She died on 31 March 2014 of heart failure.[10][11]
Election Results
| Year | Opposition | Votes | Pct | Government | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Irene Fernandez (KeADILan) | 28,985 | 44.51% | K.S. Nijhar (MIC) | 36,137 | 55.49% | 67,847 | 7,152 | 73.11% | ||
See also
References
- ^ The Rocket - DAP Newsletter
- ^ "Our Founder:Irene Fernandez". TENAGANITA. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
- ^ "Activist Irene Fernandez acquitted". TheStar Online. Archived from the original on 2008-12-17. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
- ^ "ICIJ Journalists: Steven Gan". International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Archived from the original on 4 April 2010. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
- ^ Steven Gan (Summer 2002). "Virtual Democracy in Malaysia". Nieman Reports. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
- ^ a b "IPF Awards 2000 - Announcement". Committee to Protect Journalists. 2000. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
- ^ "Right Livelihood Award Recipient: Irene Fernandez". rightlivelihood.org. Archived from the original on 2007-10-20. Retrieved 2006-08-30.
- ^ "Irene Fernandez Freed". Sin Chew. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
- ^ "Ms. Irene Fernandez finally acquitted!". International Federation for Human Rights. 25 November 2008. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ^ "Activist Irene Fernandez dies". The Star Online. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
- ^ Rashvinjeet S. Bedi; L. Suganya (31 March 2014). "Malaysians pay tribute to Irene Fernandez". The Star. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
- ^ "Malaysia General Election". undiinfo Malaysian Election Data. Malaysiakini. Retrieved 4 February 2018. Results only available from the 2004 election.
- ^ "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
External links
- Tenaganita official site
- SUARAM official site
- Biography on Right Livelihood Award website
- Irene Fernandez defends the rights of migrant workers despite conviction, Amnesty International report