Urgent Actions |
Amnesty International's global Urgent Action network provides an effective and rapid means of preventing some of the most life-threatening human rights violations against individuals.
Join the Urgent Action network |
| |
URGENT ACTION
Malaysia: Fear of torture or ill-treatment / incommunicado detention / prisoners of conscience
PUBLIC AI Index: ASA 28/006/2001
UA 94/01 Fear of torture or ill-treatment / incommunicado detention
/ prisoners of conscience 11 April 2001
MALAYSIA Tian Chua [m], Vice President, Parti Keadilan Nasional (PKN)
Mohd Ezam Mohd Noor [m], National Youth Chief, PKN
Haji Saari Sungip [m], PKN activist
Hishamuddin Rais [m], media columnist and social activist
Raja Petra Kamaruddin [m], Director of Free Anwar Campaign
N. Gobala Krishnan [m], Secretary General, PKN Youth
Abdul Ghani Harun [m], PKN Youth Central Committee member
Malaysian police have detained at least seven leading members of one of
Malaysia's main opposition parties, Parti Keadilan Nasional, National Justice
Party. They are being held incommunicado at the Bukit Aman national police
headquarters in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, where they are at risk of torture or
ill-treatment.
Those named above were arrested a few days before a demonstration they were
reportedly planning to mark the second anniversary of the sentencing of
prisoner of conscience Anwar Ibrahim, the former Deputy Prime Minister, who has
been imprisoned since 1998 on politically motivated charges of sodomy and abuse
of power. They were apparently also planning to submit a memorandum to the
Malaysian Commission on Human Rights. The Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri
Norian Mai, has reportedly said that further arrests will be made, but rejected
to disclose the names of those being sought.
Since 1998, the authorities have forcefully suppressed a series of
predominantly peaceful demonstrations organized in support of Anwar Ibrahim,
and to call for political reform. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was recently
reported to have accused opposition parties and their alleged foreign
supporters of plotting to overthrow the government through street violence. He
also said he was willing to ''break from so-called international norms'' to
preserve peace. Amnesty International believes the real reason for the arrests
is to suppress legitimate peaceful dissent, and considers the detainees to be
prisoners of conscience. The Malaysian Human Rights Commission called for their
immediate release on 11 April.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The detainees are held under the Internal Security Act (ISA), a draconian law
which allows the police to detain without a warrant any person deemed a threat
to the national security or economic life of Malaysia for up to 60 days for
investigation. The Minister of Home Affairs can then extend the period of
detention for up to two years, without reference to the courts, by issuing a
detention order, which is renewable indefinitely.
Those arrested under the ISA are held in incommunicado detention. Former
detainees have testified that they were forced to strip, physically assaulted,
subjected to sleep deprivation and prolonged aggressive interrogation to coerce
confessions. They were also threatened with indefinite detention. When held
under the ISA in 1998, Anwar Ibrahim was subjected to a potentially fatal
assault while being interrogated by the then Inspector General of Police.
Domestic and international human rights organization have repeatedly called for
the repeal of the ISA, as it violates fundamental human rights and has been
used as a tool to suppress peaceful political, academic and social activities
perceived as threats by the authorities. It has been used to detain scores of
prisoners of conscience, including prominent politicians, trade unionists,
teachers, religious activists and community workers. It has also been used as a
threat against the legitimate activities of non-governmental organizations. It
was most recently used against supporters of Anwar Ibrahim in 1998.
| AI Index: ASA 28/006/2001 | | 12 April 2001 |
Back to Top 
ASIA AND THE PACIFIC 