Chapter 2 REPORT OF THE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP I. PROMOTION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DIVISION CHAPTER 2 This chapter provides a summary of various activities undertaken by the Commission in discharging its role to promote awareness of human rights. Such activities included human rights campaigns, the development of human rights tools, outreach programmes, human rights awareness programmes for local university students, and engagement with local and international stakeholders. It also highlights both the challenges and the progress made by the Commission in carrying out activities on the ground, as well as proposing some strategies to overcome the gaps that it has identified. 1. JOINT CAMPAIGN FOR MALAYSIA’S ACCESSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN, OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT (CAT) During the year, the Commission and its campaign partners, namely Amnesty International Malaysia, SUARAM, Bar Council, and Lawyers for Liberty, intensified the joint campaign to advocate for Malaysia’s accession to the CAT through a series of activities as summarised below: Table 7: CAT Joint Campaign Activities DATE ACTIVITIES DETAILS 2-3 April Exhibition on CAT and torture prevention. This was held in conjunction with the Art for Grabs event. 12 April a) Experience-sharing session by the family members of Norazmi Jalani who was arrested under SOSMA. b) Experience-sharing session by the family members of the late Sharam Hassan, a detainee who had died in Police custody. c) Panel discussion on torture and the CAT. d) Exhibition on the tools of torture. e) Information booth on the campaign and the CAT. These activities were held in collaboration with the Penang Task Force on Deaths in Police Custody, chaired by YB Prof Dr Ramasamy Palanisamy, Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang. SUHAKAM ANNUAL REPORT 2016 77 suhakam 2new.indd 77 3/23/17 5:54 PM