Wednesday, April 26, 2000

Legal centre charges police of brutality
Kevin Tan

6.15pm, WED: Police brutality and inhumane conditions reportedly suffered by those under detention were severely condemned by the Kuala Lumpur Bar Council Legal Aid Centre today.

Speaking to journalists, the centre chairperson R. Kesavan said they received reports of police brutality toward 48 alleged demonstrators detained in conjunction with the "Black 14" gathering at the National Mosque on April 15.

"We are of the view that the excessive use of force by the police is inexcusable," Kesavan said, adding that all of the alleged demonstrators arrested have not physically or verbally provoked the police.

One of the victims, Azlee bin Johar who was also present at the press conference alleged that he was beaten by several policemen on his head, neck and thighs.

After he had fallen, he was dragged whilst being verbally abused into a police truck. There, he claimed he was beaten and kicked again.

The centre represents all 48 persons who were arrested that day. Apart from being assaulted by the police, those detained also complained about the degrading conditions in police lock-ups.

Last Monday, the detainees told the magistrate court that the lock-up cells were grossly overcrowded and had no proper facilities for prayers and they were denied drinking water despite repeated pleas. Their relatives were even refused permission to bring in clothes for them.

"We will submit a complaint to the Human Rights Commission after we have collected more information regarding this matter," Kesavan said.

"We demand that a full investigation be carried out to look into these allegations," he said, adding that it was not the first time such complaints occurred.

According to Kesavan, the police were uncooperative and lawyers from the centre were refused information on the whereabouts of the detainees. Even the family members of the detainees were denied the information.

"This behaviour of the police undoubtedly caused a great deal of unnecessary anxiety, fear and trauma to desperate family members trying to locate their loved ones. This attitude also obstructed lawyers from carrying out their duties on behalf on their clients," he said.

The legal aid centre also asserted that it is a fundamental right of all citizens to assemble peacefully in public places, welcoming the assurance by Human Rights Commission chairman Musa Hitam on Monday. ("Musa to probe alleged police violence against ‘Black 14' detainees", April 24)

He concurred with Musa's view that demonstrations "need not be confrontational or viewed negatively".

"It is a fundamental right of all citizens... (to peacefully assemble) as enshrined in Article 10 of our Federal Constitution and Article 20 of the UN Declaration on Human Rights," Kesavan added.

Another lawyer, N. Surendran, urged the police to abide by the "international standard" where force cannot be applied on any lawful or unlawful assembly as long as it is non-violent.

"The UN Declaration on Human Rights applies to all human beings and not just Westerners," he said, adding that human rights is not a "Western concept".

Surendran added that the fear of riots articulated by the government and the police was unfounded and there was no need to enforce Section 27 of the Police Act, which many lawyers feel contravenes Article 10 of the Federal Constitution.

"There are other laws to counter riots, if it happens," he said.

"It is the duty of the government and the police to ensure that citizens are allowed to peacefully assemble in the exercise of the democratic rights, without the necessity of obtaining permits," Kesavan said.

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Wednesday, April 26, 2000

Polis pukul membuta-tuli, hina Tuhan: Tahanan
'Ein Azmi

8pm, RABU: Mangsa tahanan dalam insiden perhimpunan '14 Hitam,' Azlee Johar, 26, mendakwa dipukul tanpa usul periksa oleh polis di perkarangan Masjid Negara pada 15 April lalu. Beliau yang selesai menunaikan sembahyang Asar turun dari masjid tetapi diserang dari arah belakang di bahagian kepala, tengkuk dan betis sehingga jatuh.

"Beberapa orang polis yang memakai vest (baju sangkut) kuning menyerang. Mereka menyeret saya hingga ke lori polis sambil mengeluarkan kata-kata yang menghina ‘mana Tuhan kamu, pergi minta tolong'," kata Azlee kepada malaysiakini, sambil meluahkan perasaan kesal terhadap sikap seorang polis itu yang mempermain-mainkan nama Allah.

Azlee memberitahu beliau cam polis yang mengeluarkan kata-kata menghina kepercayaan agamanya itu berketurunan Melayu.

Berhubung tindakan kasar polis terhadapnya, Azlee membuat laporan di Balai Polis Tun H. S. Lee dua hari lalu. Katanya, semasa berada dalam tahanan reman selama tujuh hari itu, kesakitan dan luka yang ditanggungnya diminta supaya dirawat sebanyak dua kali tetapi beliau diejek.

Seorang lagi tahanan dalam insiden yang sama, Nasarudin Shaari, 41, disepak dan dirotan bertubi-tubi. Bagaimanapun, beliau tidak dapat mengingati berapa kali sepakan dan pukulan rotan itu. Nasarudin ketika itu cuba membela teman-teman beliau yang ditahan oleh polis.

Menurutnya, kejadian tersebut berlaku di tempat letak kereta Bangunan Dayabumi, berhampiran stesen keretapi, kira-kira jam 5 petang semasa beliau sedang menunggu rakan-rakannya untuk bermain bolasepak di Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur.

"Saya ditumbuk di tempat yang 'paling berbahaya' (bahagian kemaluan) dan apabila (saya) terjatuh, polis telah menyepak kepala saya sehingga berdarah," kata Nasarudin malu-malu, sambil menjelaskan baju-T yang dipakainya turut berlumuran darah.

Ketika dalam tahanan, bagaimanapun polis membenarkan baju yang berdarah itu ditukarkan dengan baju lain yang dibawa oleh anggota keluarganya.

Sementara itu, seorang penyokong reformasi yang dikenakan ikat jamin RM500, Jaafar Mohamed, 54, tidak diberikan rawatan perubatan walaupun selepas memohon kepada polis.

Beliau yang mengidap asma (lelah) tidak dibenarkan mendapat kemudahan alat penafasan (inhaler) yang dibawa oleh isterinya. Beliau hanya menerima alat tersebut setelah tiga hari ditahan reman.

Jaafar termasuk dalam 16 tahanan, daripada 48 orang yang direman selama tujuh hari, yang dituduh di mahkamah magistret pada Sabtu lalu. Bagaimanapun Azlee dan Nasarudin dibebaskan dengan jaminan polis pada hari yang sama.

Ketiga-tiga mereka ditemui malaysiakini selepas sidang akhbar Pusat Bantuan Guaman di bangunan Majlis Peguam Kuala Lumpur tengah hari tadi.

Dalam sidang akhbar itu, Pengerusinya R. Kesavan berkata Pusat Guaman akan mengumpulkan maklumat berhubung tindakan polis terhadap tahanan dan kebajikan mereka semasa di lokap dan akan melaporkan aduan kepada Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia (Suhakam).

Dalam kenyataan akhbar setebal tiga halaman itu, Kesavan menyebutkan empat bentuk layanan buruk polis ketika menangani tangkapan pada 15 April lalu.

Ia termasuklah, pertama: polis menggunakan kuasa secara berlebihan sehingga menyebabkan kecederaan, keadaan yang buruk dan "tidak berperikemanusiaan" di dalam lokap polis, keengganan polis memberikan maklumat tahanan kepada peguam dan ahli keluarga, dan keempat, hak berhimpun secara aman mestilah dijamin seperti termaktub dalam perlembagaan.

Mengenai layanan di dalam lokap, Kesavan menyebutkan tahanan tidak diberi minuman walaupun diminta beberapa kali dalam tempoh sepanjang hari. Tahanan hanya disediakan teh yang sejuk pada waktu pagi.

Kemudahan untuk mengadakan sembahyang bagi Muslim juga tidak disediakan - air kotor digunakan untuk mengambil wudhuk yang terpaksa pula diambil bersebelahan tandas, kata Kesavan lagi.

Menurutnya lagi, tahanan juga tidak dibenarkan bersalin pakaian dan anggota keluarga dilarang membawa pakaian untuk tahanan.