Suaram: Muhyiddin should quit if he can't stop abuses

Human Rights watchdog Suaram has urged Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to resign if he was incapable of stopping abuses of those in custody.

Referring to claims today by family members of detainees who alleged torture and forced confession, Suaram's executive director Sevan Doraisamy said the authorities were applying the same techniques despite having a new government in place.

"The government was voted in by the people who wanted to right past wrongs, including reforms to the criminal justice system.

"Suaram is prepared to gather the masses on the streets if Pakatan Harapan fails to fulfil its promises," said Sevan in a statement today.

Lawyer S Selvam told the press today that his client B Subramaniam was tortured, forced to say "I am an LTTE member" by his jailers and threatened harm on his family.

"They were manipulating him (into thinking) that the entire family is (being charged) for terrorism," said Subramaniam's daughter-in-law R Thiviya.

Lawyer MV Yoges said her client A Kalaimughilan was kept in solitary confinement in a dark unsanitary cell, which did not comply with lock-up rules.

"They are being punished before they are proven guilty," said Yoges.

Subramaniam and Kalaimughilan are among 12 individuals which the police have detained without trial under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, better known as Sosma.

They are accused of having links with the defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. After the 12 were charged under Sosma, they can be denied bail.

Meanwhile, New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged Putrajaya to keep their promise of repealing Sosma, which contained ambiguous definitions of "security offences" which violated international human rights standards.

"Sosma also allows for ‘protected witnesses', whose identity is concealed from the accused and their counsel, to give evidence.

"This violation of international fair trial standards makes it difficult for the accused to challenge the credibility of witnesses and mount an adequate defence of the charges," said HRW in a statement. - Mkini