| Five Lawyers Arrested Over Refusal To Disperse, Inquiry Told |
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KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- Five lawyers were detained in May this year, when they refused to adhere to police warning to disperse from an illegal gathering, a Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) public inquiry was told Sunday.
Despite being warned to disperse, lawyers Puspawati Rosman, Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, Murnie Hidayah Anuar, Ravinder Singh Dhalliwal and Syuhaini Safwanwere refused to heed it.
Five police personnel testified that Brickfields police chief ACP Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid thrice gave the warning to the lawyers.
The police personnel were Deputy Superintendent Judy Blacious Pereira, Insp Azlina Norzali, Lance Corporal Shari Dewa and constables Nor Balkhis Mat Zain and Fauziah Che Mustapha.
Pereira, who is Brickfields police criminal investigation department chief, said, of the 15 to 20 people who participated in the illegal gathering on the night of May 7 at the Brickfields police station, the lawyers, together with Suara Keadilan reporter Law Teck Hao, were picked up.
However, the lawyers were released, the following day.
She said the May 7 gathering was held, following another gathering the day before, in protest over the arrest of blogger Wong Chin Huat at the Brickfields police headquarters.
The public inquiry, which started on Aug 14, is chaired by Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and assisted by commissioners Datuk Dr Michael Yeoh and Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria.
It is being conducted to ascertain, among others, whether the detention and arrest of the five lawyers at the Brickfields police headquarters on May 7, are a denial of legal representation, and a breach of Article 5 of the Federal Constitution and section 28 of the Criminal Procedure Code and therefore, tantamount to a violation of human rights.
Asked on the situation during the gathering, the five witnesses said the compound of the police headquarters was in chaos and the gathering had also caused traffic congestion in the vicinity.
Pereira also described the situation as dangerous as it could lead to numerous possibilities, while Shari said it had created fear as various firearms were stored in the station and they had no idea why the people were gathering there.
Puspawati was arrested by Azlina, Ravinder by Shari, Syuhaini by Nor Balkhis and Fadiah Nadwa and Murnie Hidayah by Fauziah.
The five who arrested the lawyers admitted that they had been cooperative and did not put up a fight, but refused to sign a form indicating that they were arrested for participating in an illegal gathering.
The inquiry at the Suhakam inquiry room on the 29th floor of Menara Tun Razak here continues on Dec 20 and 21.
-- BERNAMA
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