The Malaysian government will appeal against landmark high court rulings ordering authorities to pay millions of ringgit in damages to the families of missing activists Pastor Raymond Koh and Amri Che Mat.
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In two statements on Thursday, the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) said it would challenge rulings that found the government and police liable for the enforced disappearances of Koh and Amri, two notorious cases which campaigners claim reflect Malaysia’s embedded culture of impunity.
Koh, a Christian pastor and founder of the welfare group Harapan Komuniti, was abducted in broad daylight on February 13, 2017, in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. He has been missing for more than eight years.
Amri, a social activist from Perlis, was abducted on November 24, 2016, when his car was surrounded by three other vehicles. He has also not been seen since.
“After reviewing and considering the Honourable Judge’s decision, the Attorney General’s Chambers will file a Notice of Appeal to the Court of Appeal against the entire decision,” the AGC said in a short statement.
The logical inference drawn from the totality of the evidence is that the abduction involves state actors
The appeal follows landmark high court rulings on Wednesday, which said the government and police had failed in their duties over the disappearances of Koh and Amri.