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Urgent campaigns / Urgent Interventions / Malaysia / 2010 / December

Malaysia: Arbitrary detention of Mr. K. Selvachandran, a key witness who testified against the police in the case of a death in police custody

Case MYS 151210
Arbitrary detention/ Fear for the safety
 
The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Malaysia.
 
Brief description of the situation
 
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by SUARAM, a member of OMCT SOS-Torture Network, about the arbitrary detention of 39-year-old Mr. K. Selvachandran, a key witness who testified against the police in the case of a death in police custody.
 
According to the information received, on 14 December 2010, Mr. K. Selvachandran was transferred to Batu Gajah Detention camp in the state of Perak after Malaysia’s Home Minister issued a two-year detention order under the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985 (DDA), which provides for detention without trial for up to two years [1]. Mr. K. Selvachandran was reportedly not allowed to see his family before his transfer. His habeas corpus hearing is scheduled for 20 December 2010.
 
Mr. K. Selvachandran was reportedly arrested under unspecified charges under the DDA, on 25 October 2010, by five plain-clothes police officers, only a few hours after a court delivered an open verdict at the inquest into R. Gunasegaran’s death in police custody, ruling that the cause of his death could not be conclusively proven. Mr. K. Selvachandran had testified during the inquest that he had seen a policeman kicking Mr. R. Gunasegaran before this latter collapsed and died at Sentul police station, on 16 July 2009.
 
During the arrest, Mr. K. Selvachandran was allegedly beaten by the police in front of his wife and children before he was taken to the Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarters. He would suffer from hearing problems due to the beatings.
 
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned about the safety of Mr. K. Selvachandran and recalls to the authorities of Malaysia that they are legally bound to effectively ensure the physical and psychological integrity of all persons deprived of liberty in accordance with international human rights law.
 
OMCT further urges the competent authorities to immediately release Mr. K. Selvachandran in the absence of valid legal charges and judicial process consistent with international legal standards, or if such charges exist, bring him before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee his procedural rights at all times. OMCT has on several occasions expressed gravest concerns over existing emergency and anti-subversion laws in Malaysia which provide for indefinite detention without trial in clear violation of internationally recognised human rights standards relating to fair trials, namely the Dangerous Drugs Act 1985 (DDA), the Emergency Ordinance 1969 (EO) and the Internal Security Act (ISA)[2]. In this regard, OMCT recalls that the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has urged the Government of Malaysia, following his mission to the country, to repeal or amend four preventive laws in force in the country that allow detention without trial, in some cases indefinitely, including the DDA[3].
 
Finally, OMCT calls on the competent authorities of Malaysia to carry out a prompt, effective, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the beatings suffered by Mr. K. Selvachandran during his arrest, the result of which must be made public, in order to bring those responsible before a competent, independent and impartial tribunal and apply penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law.
 
Action requested
 
Please write to the authorities in Malaysia urging them to:
 
i.                     Guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. K. Selvachandran;
ii.                   Grant Mr. K. Selvachandran unconditional access to a lawyer of his choice and his family, as well as guarantee that he is promptly examined by independent doctors and receives adequate and free medical care, in accordance, inter alia, with the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners;
iii.                  Order his immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges that are consistent with international law and standards, or, if such charges exist, bring him promptly before an impartial, independent and competent tribunal and guarantee his procedural rights at all times;
iv.                 Carry out a prompt, effective, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the reports of beatings, the result of which must be made public, in order to bring those responsible before a competent, independent and impartial tribunal and apply penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
v.                   Ensure that an effective remedy, including the right to full redress with compensation and rehabilitation be granted to the victim concerned;
vi.                 Ensure the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
 
Addresses
 
Ø       Prime Minister of Malaysia Mr. Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak,Prime Minister’s Office Malaysia, Perdana Putra Building, Federal Government Administrative Centre, 62502 PUTRAJAYA, Selangor, Malaysia, Fax: + 60 3 8888 3444, Email: ppm@pmo.gov.my
Ø      Malaysian Home Affairs Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, Ministry of Home Affairs,Blok D1 & D2, Kompleks D, Pusat Pentadbiran, Kerajaan Persekutuan, 62546 Putrajaya, Fax: 03-88891613/03-88891610, Email:  hishammuddin@moha.gov.my
Ø      Director, Batu Gajah Detention camp, Pusat Pemulihan Akhlak, Jalan Brewster, 31000 Batu Gajah, Perak, No. Fax : 05-3661519
Ø      Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the United Nations in Geneva, ICC-1er/ H, Pré-Bois 20, P.O. 1834, CH-1215, Geneva 15, Switzerland, Email : mwgeneva@ties.itu.int, Fax: +4122 710 75 01
 
Please also write to the embassies of Malaysia in your respective country.
 
Geneva, 15 December 2010
 
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
 


[1] The Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985 (DDA) gives powers to the police to arrest and detain any suspect who “has been or is associated with any activity relating to or involving the trafficking in dangerous drugs” for up to sixty days without an order of detention. At the end of the 60-day detention, the Home Minister is provided powers to hand a two-year detention order, if he is satisfied that “it is necessary in the interest of public order that such person be detained”. Section 11A of the DDA provides powers to the Home Minister to extend a detention order, for a period not exceeding two years, but the number of extensions is not limited.
[2] See for example OMCT joint press release on 1 August 2010, www.omct.org
[3] See the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention press release on 18 June 2010, « Arbitrary Detention: Preventive Laws should be repealed or amended in Malaysia - UN expert body”

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Date: December 15, 2010
Activity: Urgent campaigns
Type: Urgent Interventions
Country: Malaysia
Subjects: Arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances, Torture and violence

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