Malaysia: Five lawyers arrested and detained
Event- Country
- Malaysia
- Initial Date
- May 7, 2009
- Event Description
On 7 May 2009, 5 five Legal Aid Centre lawyers Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, Murnie Hidayah Anuar, Puspawati Rosman, Ravinder Singh Dhalliwal and Syuhaini Safwan were arrested at the precincts of the Brickfields police station and detained overnight when they went to the station to assist 14 people who had earlier participated in a candle-light vigil. The group of 14 protested on the arrest of blogger Wong Chin Huat under the Sedition Act. The 5 lawyers were not present at the scene to participate in the cause of their clients, but were simply performing their duties as legal practitioners in defence of the 14 people arrested The National Human Rights Commision, Suhakam has said that the arrest and detention of five Legal Aid Centre lawyers when they assisted their clients involved in an illegal assembly last year, was a clear violation of human rights. The commission found that the arrest under Section 27 of the Police Act 1967 was not justified or necessary. Suhakam felt the violation was mainly committed by Brickfields CID chief Deputy Supt Jude Pereira and Brickfields police chief Asst Comm Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid. The commission had listened to testimonies by witnesses and viewing various video footage of the incident. Suhakam, however, did not come up with any recommendation on disciplinary action on the two police officers.
- Impact of Event
- 19
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of movement
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Not active
- Event Location
Latitude: 3.139
Longitude: 101.6869
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 7 May 2009, 5 five Legal Aid Centre lawyers Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, Murnie Hidayah Anuar, Puspawati Rosman, Ravinder Singh Dhalliwal and Syuhaini Safwan were arrested at the precincts of the Brickfields police station and detained overnight when they went to the station to assist 14 people who had earlier participated in a candle-light vigil. The group of 14 protested on the arrest of blogger Wong Chin Huat under the Sedition Act. The 5 lawyers were not present at the scene to participate in the cause of their clients, but were simply performing their duties as legal practitioners in defence of the 14 people arrested The National Human Rights Commision, Suhakam has said that the arrest and detention of five Legal Aid Centre lawyers when they assisted their clients involved in an illegal assembly last year, was a clear violation of human rights. The commission found that the arrest under Section 27 of the Police Act 1967 was not justified or necessary. Suhakam felt the violation was mainly committed by Brickfields CID chief Deputy Supt Jude Pereira and Brickfields police chief Asst Comm Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid. The commission had listened to testimonies by witnesses and viewing various video footage of the incident. Suhakam, however, did not come up with any recommendation on disciplinary action on the two police officers.