Perak Sultan pardons 11 activists

TAPAH: Eleven jailed activists, sentenced to 10 months in jail, can look forward to celebrating Ramadan and Hari Raya with their families after receiving a royal pardon from the Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah.

They were found guilty of taking part in an unlawful assembly in front of Ubudiah Mosque, Kuala Kangsar in 2009.

Nashita Md Noor, 49, wife to one of the activists, said she was grateful to the Sultan for granting the pardon in conjunction with the auspicious fasting month.

"This means that his criminal record will be cleared and he can carry on with life on a clean slate.

"We will be able to celebrate Ramadan and Hari Raya together as a family," she told reporters while waiting for the release of her husband at Tapah Prison on Thursday.

Perak Pardons Board secretary Datuk Razali Othman in a statement released at around 5pm Thursday said the Sultan had granted the pardon to the 11 appeal cases handed to him on the prisoners who had been sentenced to 10 months from March 18, 2015 (with their date of release on Oct 2, 2015) during a meeting on Wednesday.

"Previously, they had submitted their appeals through unrecognised channels, which was not in accordance with correct procedures.

"After filing the appeals personally, the Sultan has also taken into consideration their good behaviour during their time in prison prior to granting them the pardon," he said.