Eight held in connection with rallies released

Lawyer: Entire exercise was to deter them from participating

KUALA LUMPUR: Eight of those arrested in connection with the Bersih 5 and Red Shirt rallies have been released.

DAP leaders Ronnie Liu, Jimmy Wong, Lee Khai Meng, Bersih’s Mandeep Singh, student activists Muhamad Luqman Nul Haqim Zul Razali, Anis Syafiqah Md Yusof, Muhamad Safwan Anang@Talib, and PSM leader S. Arutchelvan were released on police bail.

“This entire exercise was done before Bersih 5 to deter them from participating in the rally,” lawyer Ramkarpal Singh told reporters outside the Dang Wangi police headquarters yesterday.

He said they were waiting for the release of the others detained.

Police arrested a total of 23 people on Friday and Saturday for allegedly committing various offences.

Among them were Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah, PKR vice-president Tian Chua, Wanita PKR chief Zuraida Kamaruddin and Red Shirts leader Datuk Seri Jamal Yunos.

Mandeep, who is the secretariat secretary, said their release did not mean anything as long as Maria, 60, was still being held under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma).

“She has not committed any crime. She rose to fight against corruption because of her love for her country,” he said.

Maria, who is being held at an undisclosed location, was brought to the Dang Wangi police headquarters yesterday so her family

She (Maria) is in good spirits. She told us to continue the fight. Cynthia Chin

and lawyers could visit her.

Her younger sister Cynthia Chin said they were allowed to bring food but Maria did not have an appetite.

“She is in good spirits. She told us to continue the fight,” said Cynthia, outside the police headquarters.

Also with her for the one-anda-half hour visit were their father and Maria’s three sons – Azumin, 23, Aziman, 22, and Azemi, 20.

Aziman said his mother looked visibly tired but seemed fine: “She asked to congratulate everyone who came for the rally yesterday.”

Lawyer R. Sivarasa said Maria was being held in solitary confinement in a cell with no windows, which has lights on 24 hours a day.

“If you ask me those are torturous conditions by international standards,” he said, adding that Maria could be held for up to 28 days under Sosma.

Her lawyer and former Bersih co-chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan said they would be filing a habeas corpus soon for her release.