Cops slapped with first suit over Bersih 2.0 arrest

The police were today slapped with their first suit on the Bersih 2.0 rally crackdown, with a participant seeking a court declaration that his arrest and detention were done illegally.

Musafri Abdullah Azmi, 27, who was the first person arrested during the pre-rally crackdown, also demanded that the court issues a declaration that police and the other respondents in his suit had abused their powers.

He said his detention was unlawful as he was not informed of the reason for his arrest, and also asked the court in Shah Alam to declare the confiscation of eight yellow T-shirts bearing the words Bersih 2.0 as illegal.

Musafri named 'John Doe' as the first respondent in his civil action against the police, followed by Inspector Misbahun Hamdan, Shah Alam police chief ACP Zahedi Ayob and Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein as the second, third and fourth respondents.

'John Doe' is believed to be one of four police officers involved in his arrest on the night of June 26.

Musafri is seeking general damages, exemplary damages and aggravated damages.

'My image was sullied'

According to the affidavit, his arrest about 11.20pm as he was on the way home from a meeting in Padang Jawa, Klang, had soiled his image among the local community as he was apprehended like a criminal.

Musafri's lawyer, Zainal Said, said they hoped this suit would encourage more individuals who were detained during the Bersih 2.0 crackdown to step forward and do the same.

Zainal said they intended the suit to be a guide to counter future police action in the continued crackdown against individuals wearing Bersih 2.0 apparel.

“He (Musafri) has the right to wear any shirt,” he told journalists while explaining that Article 13 of the federal constitution, which covers the right to own property, gave his client the necessary protection.

Accompanying Musafri were several people, including Selangor PAS commissioner Dr Abdul Rani Osman and the party's Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad. - Malaysiakini