August 5, 2011 Ambassador name Address:

RE:

Asahi Kosei USD 3.2 million Defender, Charles Hector

legal suited against Malaysian Human Rights

We write to express our deep and continuing concerns about the USD 3.2 million libel suited files by Asahi Kosei (M) Sdn Bhd against Mr. Charles Hector, human rights activists, lawyer and bloggers by reason of his highlighting of complaints of 31 Burmese workers who were working at Asahi Kosei concerning human rights and worker rights violations. The Japanese government is not a party to this civil suit, but we are concerned over the 'silence' and inaction on the part of the Japanese government, being also a member of OECD, as this will be perceived as implied consent and support of this attack by a Japanese company against human rights defenders, in this case Charles Hector for highlighting human rights violations. We would also like to reiterate the Malaysian Bars call made on February 21 2011 1, being the call on Japanese authorities to launch immediate investigations into the authenticity of the allegations that Charles Hector has brought to light, and to act immediately to prevent the committing or continuation of any human rights abuses against migrant workers.. We also call on the Japanese Government to support and uphold the UN Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, commonly known as the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 9 Dec 1998. In particular, we urge the Government to take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of these human rights defenders from any violence, threats, retaliation, adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of their legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the Declaration. Therefore we would like to respectfully seek a meeting with your Excellency to discuss further on our concerns on August ( any days between 15-19 ) as soon as possible as the full trial is now schedule on August 24-26 .

Sincerely,
1
http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/press_statements/press_release_defend_human_rights_defenders_and_safeguard_migr ant_workers.html