Freedom of expression and assembly in Malaysia are currently under attack, aided by the existence of broad and vaguely worded laws that the government can wield to arrest, investigate, and imprison its critics.

The recent increase in use of laws that criminalise peaceful expression is a step backward for a country that had seemed to be making progress on the protection of rights.

This Human Rights Watch report examines how the Malaysian government is using and abusing such laws, and the ways in which the laws themselves fall short of international standards.