Rights groups demand police stop opposition "harassment" KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27 (AFP) - Malaysian rights groups Tuesday demanded an immediate halt to what they called police harassment of opposition protesters, saying this violates constitutional freedoms. "In the past two weeks, we have witnessed serious human rights violations and the use of extensive police force," the 26 groups said in a memorandum to police chief Norian Mai. "We are sad the key pillar of democracy that involves the right to assemble and expression has been violated." The memorandum was handed in at the national police headquarters. Cynthia Gabriel, coordinator with the Suaram rights group, told reporters the groups are concerned at a "spate" of police violence against demonstrators this month. "We maintain the right to peaceful assembly with or without a permit," she said. "We want an immediate stop to police harassment and intimidation." The groups identified four cases this month in which police broke up protests and made arrests. Water cannons and tear gas were used on two occasions. In each case protesters were accused of ignoring controversial curbs on public gatherings, under which police can declare any gathering of more than four people illegal. All those arrested have been freed on bail.

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Tuesday February 27 Police cruelty raises NGOs’ ire Susan Loone 3:32pm, Tue: Twenty-six non-governmental organisations handed over a joint memorandum to the Inspector-General of Police at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur, today to protest against several recent incidences of what they claimed was police brutality. The group, led by human rights organisation Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) registered their disappointment that police were acting unprofessionally despite an on-going inquiry into police brutality by the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam). “Two weeks ago, we witnessed serious violations of human rights incidences and extreme and unreasonable abuse of police power,” said Suaram’s executive director Cynthia Gabriel. “Such unprofessional and unobjective police actions have raised great concerns and suspicion as to the motive and rationale behind such police acts,” she told journalists outside the police headquarters. Gabriel and four others met with Chief Police Inspector Shuhaidi Abdullah who accepted the memorandum on behalf of Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai. She said that the groups were disappointed that the main thrust of democracy which is the right to assemble peacefully was violated unreasonably during at least four gatherings over the past two weeks. Women dragged This includes a police crackdown with tear gas and water cannons on 5,000 people who attended a ceramah in Jitra, Kedah on Feb 14. Gabriel also related an incident where seven people were detained for leading a Feb 17 demonstration outside the Dang Wangi police station in the city where Barisan Alternatif leaders lodged a report against former attorney-general, now Federal Court judge, Mohtar Abdullah for abuse of power. The other cases cited was when two women were dragged by police outside the Kulim courthouse in Kedah court when the case of nine BA activists charged with rioting during the Lunas by-election was heard, and the 47 people detained by police during a walkathon to save the SRJK (C) Damansara school on Feb 18. “In all the cases above, there were no reports of vandalism of private property or personal injury received by the police for them to take such drastic action,” said Gabriel. Rights violated She said that the people had gathered peacefully and trouble only occurred when the police interfered and acted violently against them. Such police actions against peaceful gatherings and freedom of expression insult the maturity and sanity of Malaysians, she added. Gabriel also said that the group stands by its memorandum criticising the police for violation of the Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The memorandum seeks to address seven issues such as respect for freedom of assembly in line with Article 10 of the Federal Constitution, issuance of a police permit must not be used as an excuse to cancel or disperse peaceful gatherings, and professionalism in the police force. Among the groups which endorsed the memorandum were the Civil Rights Commission of the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, the People’s Manifesto Initiative, ERA Consumers and the Malaysian Human Rights Association.