A post-term on Mohd Hanafi Omar, one of the three youths killed at Glenmarie last year, shows that he had died from three gunshot wounds, says the family’s lawyer. PETALING JAYA: One of the three youths who were shot dead by police last year in Glenmarie had died from three gunshot wounds – two to the cheek and one to the chest – which was fired at a 45 degree angle. This finding, said the family’s lawyer, reaffirmed that the three were murdered by police in cold blood. The post-mortem report on Mohd Hanafi Omar, 22, was released to the press by lawyer N Surendran today outside the Petaling Jaya police headquarters. The family had lodged a fresh report urging the police to open an investigation of the case for murder. Previously, the post-mortem reports on Mohd Shamil Hafiz...
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 KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 — The families of three young men shot dead last November 13 on suspicion of robbing a petrol station claimed that the trio were killed by police in cold blood, their lawyer said today. Mohd Shamil Hafiz Shapiei, 15, Hairul Nizam Tuah, 20, and Mohd Hanafi Omar, 22, died in the police shooting after a reported high-speed car chase in the early hours of the morning of November 13, 2010, in Glenmarie, Shah Alam. “Shots were fired to kill these three individuals contrary to what police have said,” lawyer N. Surendran (picture) told reporters here. “Police said the three youths had attacked the police with machetes and therefore the police had to open fire on the three, killing all three. “If the reason is to stop, why shoot to the head and chest?” Surendran asked....
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‘DBKL the wrong party to haul to court,’ says Justice Zabariah Mohd Yusof in striking out suit of 41 families. KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today struck out a suit brought by Bukit Jalil estate residents against Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) for using the Emergency Ordinance to evict them from their homes. The decision was yet another blow to the residents as yesterday, the Court of Appeal upheld a High Court decision in May not to grant an interim inter-parte injunction to the residents. The 41 families living in Bukit Jalil estate have been at loggerheads with DBKL since the latter issued eviction notices to the residents in March under Emergency Ordinance. The residents argued that the Emergency Ordinance could only be used to evict squatters, not former estate workers. The residents’ lawyer, Ragunath Kesavan, said Justice...
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The Court of Appeal upheld the High Court’s decision to dismiss the interim injunction against DBKL. PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal today dismissed an appeal for an injunction by 41 families living in Bukit Jalil estate against Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), which plans to demolish their homes. In a unanimous decision, the court comprising Justices Zainun Ali, Ramly Ali and Zaharah Ibrahim upheld the High Court’s decision in May not to grant the injunction, without cost. The 41 families living in the former estate area were issued eviction notices in March under the Emergency Ordinance (EO) by DBKL. However, the residents argued that the EO can only be used against squatters, not former estate workers. They then took their case to the Kuala Lumpur High Court and obtained an ex-parte interim injunction against DBKL, pending trial. However, in...
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Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) is pleased to learn of the extension of the Australian High Court’s temporary injunction of the deportation of 16 asylum seekers under the controversial asylum swap deal between the Australian and Malaysian governments. Although it comes as a temporary reprieve in preventing the deportation of the asylum-seekers which comprises accompanied and unaccompanied minors. A successful outcome ensuing from this legal challenge would be consistent with the spirit of the 1951 Refugee Convention. LFL reiterates its strong objection to this swap deal as the Malaysian government has yet to show any tangible commitment towards the protection of refugees and /or asylum seekers in this country. There is still no real commitment to recognise refugees under the law nor any commitment to allow them to work or give access to healthcare. The Malaysian immigration act maintains whipping as...
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KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 — Bersih 2.0 supporters have accused the police of “clear intent” to cause injury or even death during its July 9 rally given the “lethal” levels of tear gas and chemicals in the water cannons used to disperse tens of thousands who poured into the capital last month. They told the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) today that the inquiry into claims of police brutality must “investigate why the police is using such dangerous products that have a track record of causing death.” “These canisters state clearly that they can cause serious injury and death. The US-based Federal Laboratories supplies the tear gas to the Israeli army and have been sued by Palestinians who lost family members,” Fadiah Nadwa Fikri from Lawyers for Liberty said today. She also told The Malaysian Insider that tear gas produced by...
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Human rights watchdog assures public after receiving testimonies and video evidence of alleged abuses law enforces during the July 9 Bersih rally. KUALA LUMPUR: Suhakam’s open inquiry into police violence during the Bersih 2.0 rally will be thorough and “each and every” cop present at every incident of alleged brutality on July 9 will be called in, said its commissioner James Nayagam. “We assure the public and all parties that the investigation will be independent and impartial,” he said after the Bersih committee handed over a list of testimonies and video evidence of alleged police abuse to the human rights watchdog. James said that the inquiry will be held “soon” but said the earliest would be after the Ramadan month as the panel was still in the midst of preparatory work. The three-member panel consists of commissioners, Professor Dr...
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PETALING JAYA, July 29 — PKR today held its own screening of the Bersih rally videos taken on July 9 at the KL Sentral underpass to counter police claims that the demonstrators had provoked them to fire tear gas into the tunnel. Party vice-president N. Surendran, Subang MP Sivarasa Rasiah and Lawyers for Liberty’s Fadiah Nadwa Fikri showed reporters at the PKR headquarters here videos taken by Free Malaysia Today and TV Selangor. From left: Fadiah, Sivarasa, Surendran and Yew at the press conference on July 29, 2011. — Picture by Melissa Chi The lawyers said that in one of the clips, it showed Brickfields OCPD Wan Bari Wan Khalid shouting for the crowd to disperse, and within the next minute he had ordered his officers to shoot, and 12 shots could be heard.“Is it lawful for the police...
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PKR counters the police version of the July 9 events with videos shot at KL Sentral PETALING JAYA:  PKR vice president N Surendran, ignoring a threat of legal action, today repeated his assertion that there was an attempt to commit murder in the tear gassing of Bersih marchers at KL Sentral last July 9. Speaking at a press conference where reporters were shown videos to counter the police version of events during the march, Surendran accused the authorities of ignoring evidence of police brutality, which he said was abundant, and questioned the impartiality of Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail. PKR’s video presentation came a week after police screened a collection of clips for the media to back their version of what happened on July 9. “The police version is inaccurate and false,” Surendran said. “They have not responded to...
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Overnight Vigil: A Journey to Freedom – Free the EO 6 31 July will mark the 30th day of the EO6′s detention without trial. The 30th day is crucial as the police is legally bound to inform the Home Minister the circumstances of the detention and he can either release them unconditionally, conditionally or detain them further under the EO. Join us for an OVERNIGHT VIGIL: “A JOURNEY TO FREEDOM” that will start on Saturday (30th July) @ 9.00pm at Dataran Merdeka. Please join us as we camp overnight in solidarity for the freedom of the EO6. Bring your candles, food, blankets, songs, musical instruments and coffee, as we stay awake in hope for good news. The solidarity vigil will end in a procession to Bukit Aman @ 10.00am Sunday (31st July). Please spread the word around and mobilise...
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Protests in Malaysia over asylum swap deal Lawyers and activists in Malaysia accuse Australia of being irresponsible in sending asylum-seekers to Malaysia. http://www.sbs.com.au/news/radio/episode/179661/Protests-in-Malaysia-over-asylum-swap-deal Activists protest outside the venue of the signing ceremony of on agreement on transfer and resettlement in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 25 July 2011. AAP (AAP)  Under a deal signed on Monday, Malaysia will take 800 boat arrivals in return for Australia accepting four-thousand refugees over four years. Activists from a number of rights groups protested outside the Kuala Lumpur hotel where the deal was signed. They say they’re concerned about the lack of laws in Malaysia protecting refugees and accuse Australia of failing to protect the rights of asylum seekers being sent to Malaysia. Spokeswoman for Lawyers For Liberty Latheefa Koya told Manny Maung, there’s also conncerns over the lack of transparency in Malaysia regarding the...
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The Australia-Malaysia refugee “swap” deal, signed in Kuala Lumpur on July 25, further persecutes people who have escaped conflict and terror and have an international right to seek asylum in Australia. The Australian government said the plan was intended to attacked the “people smugglers’ business model”. But, in effect, it is a high-priced human trafficking deal between two governments known for discriminating against refugees. The deal to deport 800 asylum seekers that arrive by boat to Malaysia supposedly hinged on “proper treatment” of the asylum seekers. But Malaysia does not legally recognise refugees. In fact, it has inhumanely tough anti-migrant laws that include arbitrary detention and judicial caning. A protest by Malaysian NGOs and human rights groups outside the Mandarin Oriental Hotel where the deal was signed captured the hypocrisy of the Australian government, which ploughed ahead with the...
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BANGKOK — While a new refugee swap deal between Australia and Malaysia will offer hope to some of the tens of thousands of Burmese refugees in Malaysia, there are different views on whether the arrangement lives up to international standards. The “Arrangement on Transfer and Resettlement” was signed in Kuala Lumpur on July 25 by Malaysia’s Home Affairs Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Australia’s Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Bowen. It will transfer 4,000 refugees in Malaysia to Australia over the next four years, in return for Malaysia taking in 800 asylum-seekers arriving in Australia or interdicted at sea en route to Australia after July 25. Australia will pay for the deal, predicted to cost around US $325million over the current four-year implementation timetable, with Australia already saying the deal could be expanded. As Burmese nationals make up an estimated...
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