BREAKING NEWS: 18 detained during Adam Adli vigil

UPDATE @ 2.35am: All detainees have been released on bail. The crowd that gathered cheered and sung Negaraku before dispersing peacefully. The Police officers who were on duty were seen to be standing on attention when the crowd was singing the National Anthem.

Police have detained 18 protesters, who were among those who had gathered in front of the Jinjang police station tonight in a show of solidity towards student activist Adam Adli.

The 18 picked up during tonight’s candlelight vigil comprised 14 men, including Subang MP R Sivarasa's assistant Peter Chong, and four women.

About 1,000 had earlier gathered outside the station at about 8.30pm, amidst heavy police presence, who also sealed the entrance to the station.

The candlelight vigil had proceeded smoothly until about 10pm, when, as PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub was addressing the crowd, police issued a 10-minute notice for them to disperse.

Student activist Khalid Ismath then attempted to negotiate with the police for an additional 30 minutes, however, the latter only agreed to an extra 10.

Police issued the second 10-minute notice as Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo was speaking to those gathered.

Once the time was up, police then began to move in to widen the “sealed area” outside of the Jinjang station, and those who refused to vacate the area were duly picked up.

Upon the arrests being made, several lawyers, including DAP Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng (left), PKR Petaling Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian, Sivarasa and PAS central committee member Zulkifli Ahmad, attempted to get into Jinjiang police station to provide assistant to those arrested.

They were at first allegedly denied requests to meet with detainees, with Lim claiming that he was at one point told by a police officer that they were “just following instructions”.

Police eventually permitted three of the lawyers to enter. They later relented further and allowed all the lawyers to enter one at a time.

According to Sivarasa, 15 of the detainees were Chinese, the rest Malays.

He also said two were aged 16, while the rest were between 18 and 24-years-old.

While the lawyers were meeting with those inside, Bersih 2.0 steering committee member Wong Chin Huat, who had arrived the scene, told some 300 protesters remaining outside the station to carry out a sit-in until all those detained tonight are released.

3 claim police brutality

Meanwhile, it was learnt that Lim, together with lawyers Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, from NGO Lawyers for Liberty and Haji Ismail, were able to meet with the 18 for about 25 minutes, where they briefly advised them as to how to handle police questioning.

Speaking to Malaysiakini after meeting the detainees, Lim said the lawyers were, however, not permitted to accompany the detainees as their statements were recorded.

Lim said the detainees were arrested under Section 143 of the Penal Code, for allegedly participating in an unlawful assembly.

“We advised them not to say anything and answer all questions in the court.”

He further claimed three of the detainees had been beaten by police before being arrested (right).

The trio were advised to insist on being allowed to lodge police reports on the matter.

Once he briefed the group, Lim said had police promised him that all the detainees would be released later, after all their statements have been recorded.

Indeed, 15 were later released at 2am, while the three that had claimed to have been assaulted were taken by family members to the hospital for a medical checkup.

According to Kapar MP G Manivannan, the three will lodge police reports on their assault in the morning.

Adam was arrested last Saturday following statements he made during a post-election forum organised by Suara Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM), held on May 13, and is expected to be charged with sedition tomorrow.

- Credits: Malaysiakini,Astro Awani & Malaysia Chronicle staff