What does Amnesty say the Act’s use signals about media freedom?

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Amnesty International Malaysia Views the Act's Application as an Attack on Media Freedom

Amnesty International Malaysia has welcomed the High Court's decision to revoke the suspension of The Edge Weekly and The Edge Financial Daily, stating that the application of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 against these publications signals an attack on media freedom. The organisation believes that the suspension should not have occurred in the first place.
High Court Ruling on Suspension

The High Court declared the Home Minister's three-month suspension of The Edge's publications illegal, ultra vires, and unconstitutional. This decision was based on the finding that the suspension contravened Section 7(1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.
Broader Concerns Regarding Media Freedom

Amnesty International Malaysia's executive director, Shamini Darshni, noted that while the High Court's decision is a step towards upholding media freedom, governments frequently employ justifications such as "national security" to suppress criticism. The organisation also pointed to the mandatory registration of online news portals under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission as another challenge to media freedom.
Call for Protection of Dissenting Voices

Shamini Darshni emphasised that despite governments often professing support for free speech, it is frequently not genuinely free, leading to the persecution of individuals and organisations for speaking out. Amnesty International Malaysia urged the Malaysian government to safeguard media freedom as a fundamental pillar of democracy, cease actions against dissenting voices, and actively create and protect spaces for citizens' rights.

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What does Amnesty say the Act’s use signals about media freedom?

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