Amnesty International has described the conviction of activist Haris Ibrahim under the Sedition Act 1948 as a travesty and politically motivated act.

“(Yesterday’s) conviction of human rights activist Haris Ibrahim is the latest travesty in a series of politically motivated actions to silence dissent in Malaysia.

"The Malaysian government must halt its prosecution of human rights defenders who have called for peaceful protests and electoral reforms. If imprisoned, Amnesty International would consider Ibrahim a ‘prisoner of conscience’,” said Amnesty International director of campaigns for South-East Asia Josef Benedict.

Benedict said the latest conviction highlights Putrajaya's increasing determination to crush any form of dissent in the country and validates calls by human rights activists to abolish the Sedition Act.

“This case demonstrates the importance of repealing Malaysia’s Sedition Act, a repressive law that has been used with impunity against government critics.

"Such laws have no place in a modern, rights-respecting society.

"The Malaysian government should repeal the Sedition Act, quash all convictions under it, and ensure stringent protections are in place for citizens to peacefully exercise their right to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly," he said.

Haris was yesterday sentenced to eight months in prison by the Kuala Lumpur High Court for comments made about the ruling coalition's victory in the 13th general election.

He is appealing the decision and is out on RM10,000 bail.

Amnesty International noted that in 2015 alone, at least 91 individuals were arrested, charged or investigated for sedition.

This was despite Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's promise in 2012 to repeal the Sedition Act, which he eventually reneged on.

Instead, the Sedition Act was amended in April 2015 to provide for heftier punishment but is yet to be implemented .