Malaysia

The ruling UMNO-led coalition has remained in power since 1957 through electoral manipulation, censorship, intimidation, and use of criminal statutes such as the Sedition Act to punish political opponents. After losing the popular vote in the 2013 national elections – but maintaining a legislative majority through gerrymandering – the government renewed its crackdown on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and passed new laws permitting preventive detention without charge as well as suspension of civil liberties in the name of counterterrorism and national security. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim remains imprisoned on trumped-up sodomy charges after a politically-motivated, unjust trial. The government also continues to persecute LGBT activists.