ASEAN Regional Coalition to #StopDigitalDictatorship government. In March 2021, he was summoned by police about his satirical artworks of the Health Minister posted online. On April 23, 2021, he was arrested in relation to satirical online commentary about the Queen under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act and Section 233 of the CMA. The material on his Facebook page was associated with a Spotify playlist called “This Is Dengki Ke?” with cover art depicting Queen Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah and the title “100 dengki songs, all in one playlist.” The playlist includes 101 select songs about jealousy. On May 6, he was again summoned for two new cases regarding previously posted graphics. In July 2021, for the seventh time, he was summoned by the police because of his satirical poster allegedly related to PAS.43 On Oct. 4, 2021, Fahmi Reza was arrested over a caricature of former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s “Keluarga Malaysia” concept and later freed on police bail.44 On April 14, 2022, he was arrested over a satirical artwork depicting what appears to be an ape in a monarch’s clothing, published on his Facebook page.45 At the time of writing, Fahmi Reza is being investigated for several cases under laws including Section 504 of the Penal Code, Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act and Section I always remind people that we should not be afraid of the government and the authorities because that is exactly what they want. They want us to keep quiet. As citizens, we have the power.50 –Fahmi Reza, graphic artist and political activist 233 of the CMA.46 In April 2022, he was blacklisted and barred from leaving Malaysia.47 The ban was the Malaysian government. She revealed that around lifted in the following month. In January 2023, he $700 million had been paid into Prime Minister Najib was questioned by the police over a democracy Razak’s personal accounts from the state investment workshop he held outside Universiti Sains Malaysia fund, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). In (USM), after authorities did not allow him to conduct August, the Malaysian government issued a warrant it on campus. After the police returned one of the for her arrest, accusing her of activities prejudicial to phones confiscated from him one year ago, Fahmi parliamentary democracy and disseminating false Reza stated that he has 10 ongoing cases against reports that caused public concern. If convicted, him, as of June 2023. she faces up to 25 years in prison. The journalist 48 49 Apart from being the targets of police inquiries and criminal investigations, many HRDs and activists are also subjected to online harassment, intimidation, threats and hateful remarks. 51 For instance, Clare is firmly convinced that her email has been hacked since her contacts in Malaysia have been arrested. She was placed under police protection after being stalked and photographed in London.52 Rewcastle Brown, a London-based investigative Furthermore, the investigative processes under journalist known for her work on deforestation in the CMA have been marred by prolonged remand her blog Sarawak Report, has drawn the attention of periods, lasting 3 to 410 days. This protracted 160 Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia

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