Human rights defender Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani charged over unregistered organisation

On 30 September 2026, human rights defender, Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani, was charged before Putrajaya Magistrates Court with two offences under the Societies Act 1966, in connection with his leadership of the Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation Malaysia (MERHROM).

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Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani is a stateless Rohingya human rights defender based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He is the founder and President of MERHROM, a community-based organisation which supports Rohingya refugees and other oppressed ethnic minorities from Myanmar. Through his work with MERHROM, he advocates for the rights of refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia, works to combat human trafficking and promotes the rights of the Rohingya minority and the establishment of democracy in Myanmar. Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani sought protection in Malaysia in 1992 and was recognised as a refugee in 2004.

On 30 September 2026, Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani appeared before Putrajaya Magistrates Court, where he was charged under Section 42 and Section 48 of the Societies Act 1966, concerning the management and representation of an ‘unlawful society.’ Both offences carry a penalty of up to five years' imprisonment. The human rights defender pleaded not guilty and was granted bail. The next hearing date was set by the Court to 30 October 2026.

In a statement made on 30 September 2026, the Registrar of Societies (RoS) said the charges followed an investigation by its Enforcement Division into MERHROM's activities on social media, including publications and statements made by the human rights defender. The RoS stated that MERHROM is not registered and Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani is not an office-bearer of any registered organisation using that name. According to information received by Front Line Defenders, MERHROM previously approached the Registrar of Societies to register, but was told that it could not be registered because Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani is a refugee.

On 29 September 2026, Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani was arrested at his home shortly before midnight by the police and officers from the RoS. On the same day, authorities in Malaysia had began the first phase of its returns plan of Myanmar nationals. It is reported that approximately 1,476 people were sent back to Myanmar. The Malaysian government stated that the group forms part of 5,000 people set to be returned in different phases.

Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani had publicly opposed the government’s returns plan. On 31 July 2026, following the Malaysian Prime Minister's announcement that Myanmar had agreed to receive 5,000 Rohingya refugees from Malaysia, he publicly appealed to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Home Affairs, on behalf of MERHROM, to halt the returns and warned that the lives of those returned would be at risk. MERHROM urged the Malaysian government to consult with the UNHCR and Rohingya community representatives before any final decision was to be taken.

Since April 2020, Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani and his family have faced sustained online harassment and death threats, after content attributed to him falsely claimed that he had demanded Malaysian citizenship for Rohingya refugees. The online campaign has reportedly intensified since 30 September 2026, including through the circulation of further AI-generated videos targeting him and his family.

Front Line Defenders is concerned by the arrest and criminal charges brought against Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani, which appear to be linked to his peaceful and legitimate human rights work defending the rights of Rohingya refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia. Of particular concern is the timing of the charges, brought one day after authorities’ began operations to return Rohingya refugees to Myanmar and two months after he publicly opposed those plans. Front Line Defenders is also concerned that his prosecution under the the Societies Act compounds the risk facing him and his family who have endured years of online threats, without those responsible being held accountable.

Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Malaysia to:

1. Immediately drop all charges against Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani, which appear to be linked to his peaceful human rights work and the exercise of his right to freedom of expression;
2. Take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and physical and psychological well-being of Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani and his family, and conduct an effective investigation into the threats made against them, with of view to holding those responsible accountable;
3. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Malaysia, including refugee and stateless human rights defenders, can carry out their legitimate human rights work without fear of reprisals, including judicial harassment, and free from undue restrictions.