[ Laman Ehwal Semasa ReformIS ]
Date: 14 Sep 1999
Time: 02:19:51
Remote User: -
Clinton voices concern at Malaysia's jailing of Canadian journalist
AUCKLAND, Sept 14 (AFP) - US President Bill Clinton has voiced concern at Malaysia's jailing of a Canadian journalist, sentenced to six weeks in prison for contempt of court. "The president is deeply concerned about the imprisonment of the Canadian journalist Murray Hiebert in Malaysia," a statement from the White House late Monday said.
"Putting a journalist in jail for doing his job undermines the press freedoms that play such a critical role in building a democratic society."
Clinton, who is visiting New Zealand after attending the Asia-Pacific Cooperation forum here, would "continue to monitor developments in this case closely," the statement said.
Hiebert, 50, a correspondent with Hong Kong-based Far Eastern Economic Review, began serving a six-week term Saturday when an appeal against his term was rejected and the court refused to return his passport.
He was found guilty by the High Court in May 1997 over an article headlined "See you in court."
It discussed the merits of a suit filed by the wife of a Court of Appeal judge against the International School of Kuala Lumpur which had dropped her son from the debating team.