Shocking Assault while in Police Custody

Aliran is utterly shocked by reports that keADILan vice-president Tian Chua was brutalised in the inner sanctum of the Kuala Lumpur Police Headquarters. Another two reformasi supporters, Sabran Mohammad Hamzah and Mona Soffian were reportedly assaulted while being arrested near the court yesterday.

The assault on Tian Chua was particularly revolting. He was taken to the Serious Crimes Department at 12.40 pm on 8 August for being involved in a peaceful assembly. Tian was then taken to a room and surrounded by a few police officers, some of whom he could identify. They allegedly pushed him onto the floor and then kicked him on the back leaving marks on his back. He was left unattended for a while and another masked man reportedly assaulted and kicked him again.

After the assault, he was taken to a police detention cell, where the other detainees were ordered and encouraged to assault him. Two detainees beat Tian up and choked him. Police allegedly watched from outside and threatened to break Tian's head. An injured Tian, who also suffers from asthma, asked for medical attention but his request was ignored.

Such dastardly conduct is unbecoming of a professional police force in a civilised nation. Assaulting helpless persons in police custody is cowardly behaviour no different from gangsterism, which we are told is a serious social problem in schools. Ordering suspects under detention to assault Tian was like throwing him to the wolves. It is sadistic, abominable and criminal behaviour.

We cannot help but wonder if the culprits would have dared to use violence on helpless detainees if the former Inspector General of Police, Rahim Noor, had been severely dealt with for his cowardly assault on Anwar Ibrahim. It looks like the police have not yet learnt any lessons from that shameful incident. Instead they appear to be emboldened to take the law into their hands. All the talk of 'mesra' will not change the public perception of the police force as long as such brutality does not outrage the Attorney General, the Inspector General of police and the courts. We hold the Home Minister ultimately responsible for this criminal act.

Aliran calls for criminal charges to be instituted against the culprits who are a disgrace to the police force. We also call for an independent inquiry into this scandalous conduct. We trust that Suhakam will urgently look at the whole issue of custodial violence and the safety of suspects under remand or detention and demand accountability from the police.