PDRM Probes #FreedomFilmFest Co-Founder & Animator Over Short Film on Police Brutality

By Karissa Lund  •  02 Jul 2021 in News

Thirsty for JUICE content? Quench your cravings on our Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp

The annual human rights documentary film festival, Freedom Film Fest often showcases movies that tackle topics not commonly seen in mainstream media and it seems like the police ain’t happy about one film in particular.

According to Malaysiakini, police are now investigating the co-founder of the film festival’s organiser Freedom Film Network (FFN) Anna Har and cartoonist Amin Landak. They are both being probe under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act and Sections 500 and 505B of the Penal Code.

The duo have been summoned to Bukit Aman for questioning at 2.30 pm today regarding a four-minute animation based on the alleged true story of a boy who testified to being tortured while under police custody with two of his friends.

“It is incredibly disturbing that the police have chosen to investigate artists and activists who raise serious concerns of custodial deaths, torture, abuse and misconduct by the police, instead of addressing the acts of violence and harm that have emerged repeatedly, especially in the past few months,” FFN said last night (1 July).

“Why have the authorities chosen to go after the messenger, instead of addressing these urgent messages?

“We see these investigations as a form of intimidation and harassment of human rights defenders, including artists and storytellers,” said the group in pledging solidarity with Har and Amin.

ICYMI, the short film Chilli Powder & Thinner premiered on 12 June and was produced by rights group SUARAM based on the experience of a 16-year-old boy who was arrested and beaten by the police along with two other individuals.

In the animation, they are shown being tied up and beaten with objects such as wooden sticks and rubber pipes, before their bodies were smeared with chilli powder and thinner.

The animation was also released following at least four widely-reported deaths in police custody from mid-April to June this year.

You can watch Chilli Powder & Thinner here: