Two lawyers representing Bangladeshi expatriate Md Rayhan Kabir, who was arrested in Malaysia after appearing on an Al Jazeera documentary, have said the country’s immigration has decided to deport Rayhan but will not file any charges against him.
“There are no charges filed against our client. He will be deported as soon as his Covid-19 test is done and the flight ticket is ready,” C Selvaraja and Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna confirmed on Wednesday.
Rayhan was featured in the Al Jazeera documentary “Locked Up in Malaysia’s Lockdown” that alleged the mistreatment of migrants by Malaysian authorities during the movement control order.
The documentary tackled the Malaysian government’s “military-style” raids on migrant communities under the pretext of coronavirus management.
The raids have seen migrants - including children and the elderly - rounded up and “handcuffed and chained together” for hours under the hot sun while they waited for their documents to be verified.
This included their experiences during a raid by authorities on Jalan Masjid India – a popular shopping street in downtown Kuala Lumpur — on May 1, which led to the arrest of several undocumented foreigners, which the Qatar-based news agency described as “racist and inhumane.”
The documentary raises allegations of mistreatment and persecution of foreigners at the height of Malaysia’s battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the same time, there are concerns that harsh punishments towards the media may limit press freedoms and cover-up wrongdoings by the authorities.
Soon after the documentary made its way online, Malaysian government shifted their focus to Rayhan, who was seen criticizing the Malaysian government.
Rayhan told the news channel that he was forbidden from seeing his friends who were detained.
In the documentary, Rayhan showed footages on his phone of other migrants being herded down the street by government officials. He also shared how some migrant workers were arrested when their companies failed to renew their visas, calling the government measures a “clear act of racism.”
Rayhan’s work permit has since been revoked and Malaysian immigration department said on Tuesday that he will be deported and blacklisted from entering Malaysia forever.
Rayhan was arrested by immigration officers last Friday in Setapak following a two-week manhunt.
Malaysian police are also investigating Al Jazeera for sedition, in addition to violation of several other Malaysian laws.
