Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) activist Amir Abdul Hadi (centre) with the family members of detainees alleged to have been abused, tortured by authorities, at a press conference last week. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 25, 2016.Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) has initiated an investigation into the allegation that several detainees under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) have been abused by the authorities.
The commission said it had contacted the police to inquire on the matter through a letter dated January 19 and requested to meet with the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) soon to discuss the issue and possible cooperation to shed light into the allegation.
“We are still investigating the case since receiving a memo from the family of a Sosma detainee in November last year,”
“So far, we have recorded statements from four detainees (we got three other names from the first detainee),” Suhakam told The Malaysian Insider today.
The commission, without providing further details, said that several other statements were also taken in December to facilitate the investigation.
Last week, human rights group Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) disclosed letters penned by seven Sosma detainees, who alleged mistreatment during their detention.
Many of the detainees claimed they were beaten up and threatened, while one said he was forced to strip, crawl like a dog, kiss an investigating officer’s foot and do other degrading acts.
Some of the detainees also claimed that police threatened to harm their family members, forcing them to follow statements provided by the police.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed (pic, right) yesterday said that the ministry would probe into any case of detainee abuse if complaints are made through formal channels.
"The SOP used by the interrogators must be reasonable and take into account the human rights of the person. The ministry will investigate any complaints made to it through formal channels,” he said, responding to the matter.
He added that the accused had a right to inform someone of his detention and can make a formal complaint if the interrogation did not follow the standard operating procedures.
Suaram would be meeting with lawyers and detainees' families to discuss the next course of action after some of the detainees’ families had also lodged police reports on the allegations. – January 25, 2016.
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