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Malaysia's top blogger released from detention

by Sanjay Jha | November 7, 2008 at 04:46 am

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The editor of the popular Malaysia Today website and one of the top bloggers of Malaysia had been in captivity under controversial internal security laws. He had denied the allegations and appealed against his detention, which could have been indefinite under the ISA's provisions. Malaysian court on Friday ordered the release of a popular anti-government blogger, ruling that his detention under a draconian security law was unlawful. Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin was arrested on September 12 under the Internal Security Act (ISA) after the government said his articles incited hatred and racial discord as well as insulted Islam, the official religion.

Malaysia's leading blogger, Raja Petra Kamaruddin, was on Friday released from detention under controversial internal security laws
after a court ruled the government had no right to hold him.

Raja Petra, a vocal government critic who had been held at a notorious detention camp since September, wept and embraced his family after being freed by the Shah Alam high court.

"I'm realy glad it's over. I'm really tired. The judge's decision proves that there was no justification for my detention," he said, calling for an end to the Internal Security Act (ISA) which allows for detention without trial.

"We have to fight all-out and get the ISA abolished," he told reporters.

Looking haggard and dressed in a brown T-shirt and jeans, Raja Petra was garlanded by dozens of supporters outside the court before stepping into a maroon Rolls Royce provided by a supporter to ferry him home.