IGP, Home Minister & the Govt must stop intimidation and harassment of lawyers Latheefa Koya, N Surendran & Dina Zamri who represent Noorizwan Zulkefly’s family
20 October 2026
We refer to the death of Noorizwan Zulkefly, who died on 1 October 2026 following his detention at IPD Cheras.
The police have launched a full-blown criminal investigation against lawyers Latheefa Koya, N Surendran and Dina Zamri who represent Noorizwan’s family, for allegedly pressuring Hospital Canselor Tunku Mukhriz UKM into revealing to the family the autopsy photographs taken of his body.
The investigation is unlawful, high-handed and interferes with the duties of lawyers acting for their clients.
It was only because the lawyers and the family pressed for disclosure of the photographs that the Malaysian public found out for certain that Noorizwan had been beaten to death, as well as the details of the barbaric injuries he had suffered. Now, the police are investigating the lawyers for revealing the truth about the brutal assault upon Noorizwan which has shocked the nation.
In fact, there was nothing wrong in the photographs being shown to the family and lawyers. It was the legal right of the next of kin and their lawyers to view the autopsy photographs of Noorizwan.
Yesterday 19th October 2026, the family’s lawyers N. Surendran, Dina Zamri and Latheefa Koya were summoned to IPD Petaling Jaya to have their statements recorded for an investigation for criminal intimidation over the disclosure of the photos to them. They were questioned for over 3 hours by police. The subject of the investigation is the family and lawyers’ visit to the hospital’s pathology unit to seek clarification on the medical evidence from the autopsy examination. Since when is this a criminal offence in Malaysia?
The probe borders on the absurd because two high-ranking officers from Bukit Aman were also present at the meeting where the family and lawyers requested to be briefed on the details of Noorizwan’s injuries and to be shown the autopsy photographs, which was acceded to by the pathologist.
It was critical for the family and lawyers to view the photographs in order to find out clearly the extent of the injuries suffered by Noorizwan.
It is outrageous that the police have to date failed to either provide an explanation for the injuries sustained by Noorizwan or to arrest and charge any police officer for the crime. Instead, the police have expended enormous resources to investigate the lawyers appointed by the family of the deceased in order to obtain justice. This has caused further emotional stress and trauma to the family of the deceased. How will they obtain justice if even their lawyers are being harassed, intimidated and subjected to criminal probes?
We hold the Home Minister Datuk Saifuddin Nasution and the Federal Government responsible for both the failure to act swiftly in the case of Noorizwan’s horrific death and for now harassing and impeding the attempts by the family through their lawyers to seek answers and to ensure that the murderers are brought to justice.
Section 42 of the Legal Profession Act and Rule 16 of Legal Profession (Practice and Etiquette) Rules 1978 puts an obligation upon lawyers to speak up for their clients fearlessly and without regard to any consequences to themselves.
Further, the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers (1990) compels governments to ensure that lawyers “are able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference” and shall not suffer, or be threatened with prosecution for any action taken in accordance with professional duties.
Acting for a family in a death in custody case necessarily means scrutinising police conduct, questioning official accounts and pressing for the preservation and disclosure of evidence. The police cannot expect the family’s lawyers to accept their version without question — least of all in a case where the Kuala Lumpur Police Chief has publicly claimed not to know the cause of death, three days after his own officers were briefed by the senior pathologist.
This unlawful investigation against the lawyers sends out a dangerous message. It tells the public that seeking answers about a death in custody may expose them and their lawyers to criminal investigation.
We demand:
– That the Inspector-General of Police immediately end the investigation against the family’s lawyers, and confirm publicly that no further action will be taken against any lawyer for lawful representation, public criticism or demands for accountability in this matter.
– That the Home Minister publicly affirm that lawyers and families pursuing justice in deaths in custody will be able to do so free from harassment, investigation or reprisal.
– That the police turn their resources to the matter that actually requires them: classifying Noorizwan’s death as murder under section 302 of the Penal Code, suspending and investigating the officers of IPD Cheras involved, preserving all relevant evidence, and giving the family regular updates.
Noorizwan’s family is entitled to know who is responsible for his brutal death and to see justice done. Threats, intimidation and harassment will not stop us from pursuing the truth for Noorizwan and obtaining justice for his family.
Issued by ,
RANIA ALJUNIED
Director
Lawyers for Liberty (LFL)
(0127166702)
KPN, Menteri Dalam Negeri & Kerajaan mesti hentikan intimidasi dan gangguan terhadap peguam Latheefa Koya, N Surendran & Dina Zamri yang mewakili keluarga Noorizwan Zulkefly
20 Oktober 2026
Kami merujuk kepada kematian Noorizwan Zulkefly, yang meninggal dunia pada 1 Oktober 2026 selepas ditahan di IPD Cheras.
Pihak polis telah melancarkan siasatan jenayah terhadap peguam Latheefa Koya, N Surendran dan Dina Zamri yang mewakili keluarga Noorizwan, atas dakwaan mendesak Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM untuk mendedahkan kepada keluarga gambar-gambar bedah siasat yang diambil ke atas jenazah arwah.
Siasatan ini tidak sah di sisi undang-undang, bersifat sewenang-wenang dan mengganggu tugas peguam yang bertindak bagi pihak anak guam mereka.
Sebab kematian Noorizwan yang dipukul hingga mati, serta butiran kecederaan kejam yang dialaminya, hanya diketahui oleh rakyat Malaysia kerana pihak peguam dan keluarga telah memohon untuk gambar-gambar bedah siasat didedahkan kepada mereka. Kini, pihak polis pula menyiasat peguam-peguam tersebut kerana mendedahkan kebenaran tentang serangan kejam terhadap Noorizwan yang telah mengejutkan seluruh negara.
Secara hakikatnya, tiada apa-apa yang salah apabila gambar-gambar tersebut ditunjukkan kepada keluarga dan peguam. Ahli keluarga dan peguam mereka mempunyai hak di sisi undang-undang untuk melihat gambar-gambar bedah siasat Noorizwan.
Semalam pada 19 Oktober 2026, peguam keluarga, N. Surendran, Dina Zamri dan Latheefa Koya, telah dipanggil ke IPD Petaling Jaya untuk rakaman percakapan bagi siasatan menakutkan secara jenayah (criminal intimidation) berhubung pendedahan gambar-gambar tersebut kepada mereka. Mereka telah disoal siasat oleh polis selama lebih 3 jam. Perkara yang disiasat ialah lawatan keluarga dan peguam ke unit patologi hospital tersebut untuk mendapatkan penjelasan mengenai bukti perubatan daripada prosedur bedah siasat. Sejak bila perkara ini menjadi satu kesalahan jenayah di Malaysia?
Siasatan ini adalah tidak masuk akal kerana dua orang pegawai kanan dari Bukit Aman turut hadir dalam perjumpaan tersebut di mana keluarga dan peguam meminta penerangan terperinci mengenai kecederaan Noorizwan dan meminta untuk ditunjukkan gambar-gambar bedah siasat, yang telah dipersetujui oleh pakar patologi.
Adalah amat penting bagi keluarga dan peguam untuk melihat gambar-gambar tersebut bagi mengetahui dengan jelas tahap kecederaan yang dialami oleh Noorizwan.
Kegagalan pihak polis sehingga kini untuk memberikan penjelasan tentang kecederaan yang dialami oleh Noorizwan, atau untuk menangkap dan mendakwa mana-mana anggota polis atas jenayah tersebut adalah melampau. Sebaliknya, pihak polis telah menggunakan sumber yang begitu besar untuk menyiasat peguam-peguam yang dilantik oleh keluarga si mati untuk mendapatkan keadilan. Perkara ini telah menyebabkan tekanan emosi dan trauma yang berlanjutan kepada keluarga si mati. Bagaimanakah mereka akan mendapat keadilan jika peguam mereka sendiri diganggu, diintimidasi dan dikenakan siasatan jenayah?
Kami menyatakan bahawa Menteri Dalam Negeri Datuk Saifuddin Nasution dan Kerajaan Persekutuan bertanggungjawab ke atas kegagalan bertindak segera dalam kes kematian ngeri Noorizwan, dan kini juga bertanggungjawab ke atas tindakan mengganggu serta menghalang usaha keluarga, melalui peguam mereka, untuk mendapatkan jawapan dan memastikan pembunuh-pembunuhnya dihukum secara adil.
Seksyen 42 Akta Profesion Undang-Undang dan Kaedah 16 Kaedah-Kaedah Profesion Undang-Undang (Amalan dan Kesopanan) 1978 meletakkan kewajipan ke atas peguam untuk membela anak guam mereka tanpa rasa takut dan tanpa menghiraukan sebarang akibat terhadap diri mereka sendiri.
Selanjutnya, Prinsip-Prinsip Asas Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu mengenai Peranan Peguam (1990) mewajibkan kerajaan memastikan bahawa peguam “dapat melaksanakan semua fungsi profesional mereka tanpa intimidasi, halangan, gangguan atau campur tangan yang tidak wajar”, dan tidak akan dikenakan, atau diancam dengan, pendakwaan atas sebarang tindakan yang diambil selaras dengan tugas profesional mereka.
Bertindak bagi pihak keluarga dalam kes kematian dalam tahanan semestinya melibatkan penelitian terhadap tindakan polis, mempersoalkan kenyataan rasmi, dan mendesak agar bukti dipelihara dan didedahkan. Pihak polis tidak boleh mengharapkan peguam keluarga menerima versi mereka tanpa soal, apatah lagi dalam kes di mana Ketua Polis Kuala Lumpur secara terbuka mendakwa tidak mengetahui punca kematian, tiga hari selepas pegawai-pegawainya sendiri diberi taklimat oleh pakar patologi kanan.
Siasatan yang tidak sah terhadap peguam-peguam ini menghantar mesej yang berbahaya. Ia memberitahu orang awam bahawa usaha mencari jawapan tentang kematian dalam tahanan boleh mendedahkan mereka dan peguam mereka kepada siasatan jenayah.
Kami menuntut:
– Agar Ketua Polis Negara segera menghentikan siasatan terhadap peguam-peguam keluarga, dan mengesahkan secara terbuka bahawa tiada tindakan lanjut akan diambil terhadap mana-mana peguam atas perwakilan yang sah, kritikan awam atau tuntutan akauntabiliti dalam perkara ini.
– Agar Menteri Dalam Negeri mengesahkan secara terbuka bahawa peguam dan keluarga yang menuntut keadilan dalam kes kematian dalam tahanan boleh berbuat demikian tanpa gangguan, siasatan atau tindakan balas.
– Agar pihak polis menumpukan sumber mereka kepada perkara yang sebenarnya memerlukan tindakan: mengklasifikasikan kematian Noorizwan sebagai pembunuhan di bawah seksyen 302 Kanun Keseksaan, menggantung tugas dan menyiasat anggota-anggota IPD Cheras yang terlibat, memelihara semua bukti berkaitan, dan memberikan maklumat terkini secara berkala kepada keluarga.
Keluarga Noorizwan berhak mengetahui siapa yang bertanggungjawab atas kematiannya yang kejam dan melihat keadilan ditegakkan. Ancaman, intimidasi dan gangguan tidak akan menghalang kami daripada mencari kebenaran untuk Noorizwan dan mendapatkan keadilan untuk keluarganya.
Dikeluarkan oleh,
RANIA ALJUNIED
Pengarah
Lawyers for Liberty (LFL)
(012-716 6702)