Attorney Eric Paulsen and Professor Azmi Sharom were among a group of lawyers charged under Article 4 of Malaysia's 1948 Sedition Act. The American Bar Association Center for Human Rights published a Rule of Law Letter addressed to the Prime Minster of Malaysia expressing concern over the Malaysian government's apparent pattern of harassment against lawyers and human rights activists in Malaysia.
The Center also reviewed Malaysia’s Sedition Act and found that it infringes upon the right to freedom of expression, as enshrined in international treaties and norms. The law is also far more restrictive than similar laws in other Commonwealth countries. The Center analyzed the law in response to concerns that it was being used to silence government critics, including human rights attorney Eric Paulsen and political cartoonist Zunar.