Malaysia
31.07.01
Urgent Interventions
Malaysia: release of four children
CHILD CONCERN
Case MYS 160701.1.CC
Follow-up of Case MYS 160701.CC
Geneva, July 31st, 2001
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information regarding the following situation in Malaysia.
New information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of the release by the Malaysian police of four children being held under the Police Act, Section 27 (5), on 15th July 2001, having been arrested earlier on during the same day.
OMCT has not been able to ascertain the age of one of these children, although the other three are respectively aged 14, 15 and 16 years old. In the previous appeal, we only mentioned the three children for whom we knew the ages, although it now appears that there were four children arrested in this incident. They are: Mohd Saifianuddin bin Mohd salleh (age unknown), Norashikin bte Baharin (14 years old), Rohaida Ayu bte Arifin (15 years old), Abdul Rahman bin Mohd Nor (16 years old). They were being held at Taiping police station for “illegal assembly” prior to their release. Eyewitness accounts alleged that people were beaten with batons and dragged away into police trucks during the arrests. It is worth noting that the 41 persons were arrested under the Police Act, Section 27, rather than under the ISA, as stated in the original appeal, although they were protesting against the ISA at the time of their arrest.
Brief reminder of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT was informed by a reliable source, that a peaceful demonstration involving more than 1500 people was held in front of the Kamunting detention camp, on July 15th, to commemorate the 100th day of detention of the political and reform activists being held under the ISA. The police intervened with water canons to put an end to the demonstration and then arrested 41 of the demonstrators, including the four children in question.
Remarks
OMCT wishes to thank all those institutions, organisations and individuals who intervened on the detainees’ behalf.
Geneva, July 31st, 2001
Case MYS 160701.1.CC
Follow-up of Case MYS 160701.CC
Geneva, July 31st, 2001
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information regarding the following situation in Malaysia.
New information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of the release by the Malaysian police of four children being held under the Police Act, Section 27 (5), on 15th July 2001, having been arrested earlier on during the same day.
OMCT has not been able to ascertain the age of one of these children, although the other three are respectively aged 14, 15 and 16 years old. In the previous appeal, we only mentioned the three children for whom we knew the ages, although it now appears that there were four children arrested in this incident. They are: Mohd Saifianuddin bin Mohd salleh (age unknown), Norashikin bte Baharin (14 years old), Rohaida Ayu bte Arifin (15 years old), Abdul Rahman bin Mohd Nor (16 years old). They were being held at Taiping police station for “illegal assembly” prior to their release. Eyewitness accounts alleged that people were beaten with batons and dragged away into police trucks during the arrests. It is worth noting that the 41 persons were arrested under the Police Act, Section 27, rather than under the ISA, as stated in the original appeal, although they were protesting against the ISA at the time of their arrest.
Brief reminder of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT was informed by a reliable source, that a peaceful demonstration involving more than 1500 people was held in front of the Kamunting detention camp, on July 15th, to commemorate the 100th day of detention of the political and reform activists being held under the ISA. The police intervened with water canons to put an end to the demonstration and then arrested 41 of the demonstrators, including the four children in question.
Remarks
OMCT wishes to thank all those institutions, organisations and individuals who intervened on the detainees’ behalf.
Geneva, July 31st, 2001