MALAYSIA UPDATE: AI UA 41/00 Arbitrary and incommunicado Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit ------------------------------------------------------------------------ AI Index: ASA 28/06/00 17 April 2000 EXTRA 41/00 Arbitrary and incommunicado detention/fear of ill treatment/prisoners of conscience MALAYSIA Tian Chua, Parti Keadilan Nasional (PKN) Vice-President Roslan Kassim, PKN Information Chief Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, PKN Youth Chief N. Gopalankrishnan, PKN Supreme Council member Abdul Malek Hussain Mohd Hafiz Hashim, aged 17 At least 46 others ------------------------------------------------------------------------- At least 50 people, among them four leading members of the opposition Parti Keadilan Nasional (National Justice Party), have been arrested in connection with a 15 April demonstration, and a magistrate has remanded them in custody for further questioning. Amnesty International fears they are at risk of serious ill-treatment in detention, and is concerned at this seemingly arbitrary decision to hold them for further questioning. At least six are reported to have been assaulted and denied access to medical treatment. According to a news report, one detainee who appeared in court today told the magistrate that he had been beaten round the head with a truncheon and punched all over his body. The detainees have had only limited access to their lawyers and have not been allowed to see their families since their arrest. Many of those arrested at similar demonstrations in the past have been assaulted by the police. Tian Chua, a PKN leader and well-known social activist, who has been arrested a number of times and assaulted by police following his participation in other illegal demonstrations, suffers from asthma and is currently on daily medication for food poisoning. Roslan Kassim, arrested the day before the demonstration, was ordered detained for seven days, reportedly on suspicion of inciting others to attend an illegal assembly. All the others, arrested over the weekend, were remanded in custody for up to six days, except 17-year-old Mohd Hafiz Hashim, who was remanded in custody for three days. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Demonstrators had planned to march through the capital, Kuala Lumpur, on 15 April, to mark the first anniversary of the jailing of former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Prisoner of conscience Anwar Ibrahim was sentenced to six years imprisonment after an unfair trial on politically motivated charges of abuse of power. The Malaysian authorities announced a ban on the rally and positioned hundreds of police around the capital, some armed with M16 rifles. Several hundred peaceful protesters gathered during the day, chanting slogans and calling for reformasi (reform). They were dispersed with tear gas and water cannon spraying water laced with chemicals. The Malaysian Police Act outlaws attendance at any unauthorized gathering of more than three people. Offenders may be punished with fines and imprisonment of up to one year. Since 1998 unprecedented public demonstrations in support of Anwar Ibrahim have been suppressed with force and more than 1,200 people have been arrested. Many of those arrested were assaulted in custody and face trials during 2000 for illegal assembly. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send faxes in English or your own language: - expressing concern that those named above have been detained solely for exercising their right to peaceful assembly, and urging that they be immediately and unconditionally released; - expressing concern at reports that some have been assaulted in custody and urging that they not be ill-treated in any way; - urging that all those detained in connection with the 15 April demonstration be allowed immediate and continuing access to relatives, independent lawyers and medical attention; - calling for all reports of ill-treatment in police custody to be fully and independently investigated and for those responsible to be brought to justice. APPEALS TO: Minister of Home Affairs Dato Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi Ministry of Home Affairs (Menteri Dalam Negeri) Jalan Dato Onn, 50546 Kuala Lumpur Fax: + 60 3 2301 217 / + 603 230 1051 Minister in Prime Ministers Department with responsibility for legal affairs Datuk Dr. Rais Yatim Law Division Prime Ministers Department, Block 1 Federal Government Administration Centre 62502 Putrajaya, Selangor Malaysia Fax: + 60 3 8888 3424 COPIES TO: Chairman, Human Rights Commission Ybhg. Tan Sri Musa Hitam Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia Kementerian Luar Negeri Wisma Putra 50602 Kuala Lumpur Fax: + 603 2425043 Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Norian Mai Ketua Polis Negara Ibupejabat Polis Diraja Malaysia Bukit Aman 50502 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Fax: + 60 3 22731326 and to diplomatic representatives of Malaysia accredited to your country. PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 15 May 2000. ========================================================================== AHRC Ugent Appeals Programme Asian Human Rights Commission Unit D, 7th Floor, Mongkok Commercial Centre, 16 - 16B Argyle Street, Kowloon, HONGKONG Tel: +(852) - 2698-6339 Fax: +(852) - 2698-6367 E-mail: ua@ahrchk.org If you need to contact the AHRC Urgent Appeal Coordinator. Send message to: Mr.sinapan samydorai ___________________________________________________________________ AHRC has an Urgent Appeal Programme which operates around the clock. AHRC issues urgent appeals on behalf of persons or groups of persons whose human rights have been violated. All urgent appeals released by the AHRC since late 1997 can be accessed at our website: http://www.ahrchk.net/hrappeal.htm _____________________________________________________________________ ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytas-04.21.00-10:24:34-15788