detention without trial

Free minors held under security law, say parents, groups

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Source: The Malaysian Insight

Sevan Doraisamy, Suaram, The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, December 1, 2017.

Suara Rakyat Malaysia executive director Sevan Doraisamy says the Prevention of Crime Act is clearly a tool for the police to arrest a person without conducting a proper investigation. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, December 1, 2017.

WHILE most 16-year-olds are going to school and enjoying life with family and friends, Ang Kian Kok spends his days lying down in his room or watching TV at home.

Ang never sets foot outside his home for two reasons: shame and fear. He is ashamed of the electronic monitoring device (EMD) he wears on his ankle which brands him as a detainee, and he is afraid of of getting arrested again if he should stray out of the 10km radius he is confined within.

The teenager was caught breaking into cars and in possession of stolen items.

Ang is one of 142 juveniles who have been arrested under the Prevention of Crime Act (Poca). He was earlier this year detained for 60 days, after which he was placed under Restricted Residence, which requires him to wear the EMD for two years. Read more →

Poca, Sosma detention rose considerably in 2016, Suaram report shows

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

According to Suaram’s statistical breakdown, 102 people were detained for terrorism offences under Sosma, 39 for human trafficking and immigration offences, while other cases totaled 45. Pic from AFP.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 — There has been a considerable increase in the number of detentions under the Prevention of Crime Act (Poca) as well as the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 last year, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) said in its 2016 Human Rights Report released today.

In the report, Suaram said 189 cases Sosma detentions were recorded by the NGO last year, as compared to less than 50 cases in 2015.

According to the report, 278 arrests were also made under Poca.

According to Suaram’s statistical breakdown, 102 people were detained for terrorism offences under Sosma, 39 for human trafficking and immigration offences, while other cases totaled 45. Read more →

Federal Court dismisses Maria Chin’s appeal over Sosma detention

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Source: FMT News

Chief Judge of Malaya Ahmad Maarop says there is no merit in the case and the court will deliver a written judgment later. Pic from FMT News.

Chief Judge of Malaya Ahmad Maarop says there is no merit in the case and the court will deliver a written judgment later. Pic from FMT News.

PUTRAJAYA: Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah again failed in the Federal Court to determine the legality of her detention under the Security Offences and Special Measures Act (Sosma) last year.

A five-man bench led by newly-appointed Chief Judge of Malaya Ahmad Maarop said there was no merit in Maria’s appeal.

“The appeal is dismissed. We will deliver our written grounds later,” he said of the unanimous decision.

On Nov 29, the High Court struck out Maria’s habeas corpus application on grounds she had been freed from police detention.

“The court has no jurisdiction to decide on merits and to award damages,” judge Nordin Hassan had said. Read more →

Where are Sosma safeguards, Suhakam asks Najib

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Source: FMT News

PM has yet to deliver on promise of an administrative committee to review the Act and its enforcement, says human rights commission. Pic from FMT News.

PM has yet to deliver on promise of an administrative committee to review the Act and its enforcement, says human rights commission. Pic from FMT News.

PETALING JAYA: The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has reminded the prime minister of his promise to instal safeguards to prevent abuse of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).

Noting the extension of the enforcement of the Act, Suhakam, in a statement today, reiterated the need to subject laws such as Sosma to proper checks and balances, including judicial oversight for every case of preventive detention under the Act.

“In the interest of transparency, Suhakam proposes that every year, a detailed report on the application of Sosma is submitted to Parliament by the ministry of home affairs.

“Suhakam holds the view that if such exceptional powers are to gain public consent, it is important that they be confined to their intended purpose.”

While asserting its continued objection to detention without trial, Suhakam reminded Prime Minister Najib Razak of his speech during the second reading of Sosma in Parliament in April 2012, where he promised to put in place provisions to prevent misuse of the Act. Read more →

GPS anklet embarrasses Poca detainee

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Source: FMT News

Pic from FMT News.

Pic from FMT News.

KUALA LUMPUR: First they were detained for 60 days under the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca) for reasons they claim are still unknown to them.

Now, the three youths have been forced to wear GPS (gobal positioning system) ankle bracelets upon their release.

Saravanan Parameswaran, 23, who lost two of his right fingers after he was attacked by gangsters in 2015, said he worried what the neighbourhood would think if the ankle bracelet was spotted on him.

“I’m embarrassed to wear shorts. People will think we are gangsters and they will say that we spent time in a lockup,” he told reporters after handing over a memorandum to human rights commission Suhakam today. Read more →

Malaysia’s 2016 detentions without trial brings back Ops Lalang memories, Suaram adviser says

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Source: Malay Mail Online

Suaram’s Dr Kua Kia Soong says Malaysia is experiencing one of the worst years for human rights this year with its multiple detentions without trial. — Picture by Choo Choy May for the Malay Mail Online.

Suaram’s Dr Kua Kia Soong says Malaysia is experiencing one of the worst years for human rights this year with its multiple detentions without trial. — Picture by Choo Choy May for the Malay Mail Online.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 ― Malaysia is experiencing one of the worst years for human rights this year with its multiple detentions without trial that bring back memories of the Ops Lalang period, Dr Kua Kia Soong said today.

Kua, the adviser of human rights group Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), cited the government’s 1987 security crackdown under Ops Lalang to put opposition members, activists and other Malaysians under the now-abolished Internal Security Act (ISA).

“Why do I say that 2016 is one of the worst years for human rights in Malaysia? Of course there’s historical context, when you compare it to the past; there’s no comparison.

“But I said it’s one of the worst years for human rights in Malaysia, means during the time post Operation Lalang years, suddenly detention without trial of Maria Chin Abdullah and others, other human rights defenders, brings back memories of Ops Lalang,” he said at the launch of Suaram’s annual human rights report. Read more →

Perak police denies abusing two brothers

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

IPOH, Aug 21 — The Perak police denied the news reports that two brothers who were detained in April to assist in an investigation were being abused while being remanded at the Ipoh district police headquarters.

The State Police Chief Datuk Seri Abdul Rahim Hanafi said the two brothers, N.Letchumanan, 19, and N.Vikram, 17, were remanded on April 20 for six days under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder.

Abdul Rahim explained they both were re-arrested on April 26 for investigation on the offense of rioting under the Section 148 of the Penal Code.

“On May 22, the two suspects who are members of the ‘Kongsi Gelap 36’ were again detained under Section 3(1) Prevention of Crime Act (Poca) 1959 for being involved in violent crime and were remanded for 60 days for investigations,” he said in a statement here tonight. Read more →

Let ‘terror suspects’ face fair trial, says group

Raevathi Supramaniam

Source: FMT

PETALING JAYA: A lobby group has called for “terrorism suspects” to face a fair trial and for the release of all those being detained without trial under various detention orders.

This included the 15 people arrested last week for investigations into the grenade bombing of a nightspot in Puchong, in which eight people were injured.

The organisation, Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (MADPET) , said detention without trial was against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

MADPET spokesman Charles Hector said a foreign newspaper report had said that more than 160 people suspected of having ties to the Islamic State network had been detained in Malaysia in the past two years. Read more →

End All Political Prosecution and Persecution! – SUARAM

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Source: SUARAM

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) welcomes the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention’s stance on the detention of Anwar Ibrahim and fully supports the call for the Government of Malaysia to release Anwar Ibrahim and the reinstate all of his political rights that was denied following his conviction.

Arbitrary detention of any individual should not be the norm of any states and government irrespective of their political ideology and must not be the tool for government to suppress political dissidence. The idea where a person’s right to liberty and security of person can be compromised thus based on the whim of those in power is highly unconscionable and must be condemned and stopped whenever possible. Read more →

Malaysia revives detention without trial

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Source: Al Jazeera and Reuters

Legislators pass anti-terror law allowing state to imprison people for two years, with further two-year extensions.

Malaysia’s parliament has passed an anti-terrorism bill that reintroduces detention without trial, three years after it was revoked by Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Opposition members of parliament proposed several amendments to the legislation, under which individuals can be detained for up to two years with two-year extensions thereafter, but it was voted through unchanged early Tuesday morning, the Reuters news agency reported.

Malaysia last had detention without trial under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which was repealed in 2012 by Najib under his reform agenda. Read more →