Remember your 'black eye', Suaram tells PM on reforming police powers

 

Rights group Suaram has reminded Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of his infamous “black eye” incident that triggered the Reformasi movement 24 years ago in calling for urgent reforms to laws affecting an individual’s civil liberties.

Suaram executive director Sevan Doraisamy said Anwar, as a “victim” of police brutality and detention without trial, should now work to introduce changes which include amendments to the Independent Police Conduct Commission Act 2022 and dismantling elements of detention without trial in several laws.

“He (Anwar) was detained under the ISA and that is detention without trial. He was tortured in custody.

“He had the black eye, not just by a police personnel but the IGP at that time,” Sevan told reporters when met after the launch of Suaram’s annual Human Rights Report at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall today.

In 1998, Anwar’s “black eye” at the hands of then inspector-general of police Abdul Rahim Mohd Noor, who eventually resigned and was found guilty of assault, became the symbol that formed PKR and the party’s rallying cries for justice.

At the time, then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had, in September 1998, dismissed Anwar as his deputy on grounds of involvement in sodomy and corruption.

Subsequently, Anwar was produced in court with a swollen eye, an image that gained worldwide attention.

“These are all violence that Anwar should know.

“These are issues still happening now in custody. So he needs to take it as a personal thing because he went through all this,” said Sevan.

“He can lead the reform agenda, he was talking about human rights, he talked against detention without trial, and now he has the power. So, we would like to see Anwar bring the changes as soon as possible, without delay and without giving any excuses,” he stressed.

Detention without trial

Earlier in his opening speech, Sevan expressed hope for ongoing engagements between civil society groups and the present administration in areas of law reforms, with a particular focus on abolishing detention without trial.

According to Suaram’s records, there have been 249 new cases of detention without trial this year under three Acts - Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma); Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca); and Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015 (Pota).

There are also existing detention without trial provisions under the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985 that recorded 997 arrests and 175 individuals detained in the first six months of this year.

Suaram executive director Sevan Doraisamy (centre)

The Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) only allows up to a maximum of 14 days remand for offences that carries a penalty of more than 14 years imprisonment.

However, the four other laws allow authorities to detain an individual without trial for between 28 to 60 days, with limited access to bail and legal counsel.

In tabling the report, Suaram’s right to trial coordinator Azura Nasron said Sosma and Poca were mainly used to tackle the issues of human trafficking and organised crimes.

“Regardless of the utilisation and challenges faced by the judiciary, the right to a fair trial by an independent judiciary is enshrined in both Article 9 and Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 5 of our Federal Constitution,” she said.

Azura further noted there were issues identified in definitions of “terrorism” and “organised crime” used by authorities to detain an individual without trial, highlighting inefficiencies in any investigation process to require an extended period of detention.

Other related findings include 10 cases of police shootings involving 23 individuals and four deaths.

At the function today, Suaram also honoured seven nominees of its annual Human Rights Award, this year won by the Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network.

The six others shortlisted are the Turtle Conservation Society Malaysia, Say No to PJD Link, Kesatuan Mahasiswa Universiti Malaya, Gabungan Gerakan Mahasiswa, Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Kelantan, and Sebaran Kasih. - Mkini