New York, USA - Human Rights Watch has criticised Malaysian government for the alleged persecution of members of a religious sect.
The US-based rights group alleged that 'Sky Kingdom' members, who are to appear before a Shariah court in Terrengganu province on charges of practicing a "deviant religion," do not have legal defense counsel or the opportunity to prepare a defense.
On July 31, government officials violated a court order by demolishing the community's religious structures "including a giant teapot and an umbrella-shaped building" at the Sky Kingdom compound in Terangganu, the Human Rights Watch said in a statement.
Forty-nine members of the Sky Kingdom are charged with violating Islamic precepts. If convicted, they could be fined and jailed up to two years.
"The Malaysian government is targeting this religious community simply for their beliefs," said Sam Zarifi, Deputy Asia Director at Human Rights Watch.
"The government is violating international standards by destroying the Sky Kingdom's religious structures and now threatening to throw the members in jail without a fair trial."
The Sky Kingdom was founded by Ayah Pin (whose real name is Ariffin Muhammad), who claims to be the reincarnation of the holy figures of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. The community was one of 22 declared as "deviant sects of Islam" by the Malaysian government last month.
Lawyers from Terrengganu province have refused to represent Sky Kingdom members.