Lawyers For Liberty (LFL) condemns the act of police brutality inflicted on student activists who were peacefully assembling to demand academic freedom in front of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) on January 1 at about 12.30am.

The police have unlawfully used excessive force against peaceful and unarmed students in their attempt to disperse the students.

A number of students were severely injured including Safwan Anang, the president of Bebas who was according to eyewitness accounts beaten and stomped on by the police, breaking his teeth and leaving him unconscious. 17 students have been arrested and detained in Tanjung Malim Police Station.

 

This barbaric and uncivilised act of police brutality is an affront to the rule of law as it violates Principle 13 of the United Nation Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials which was adopted by the government of Malaysia in 1990.

Principle 13 of the United Nation Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials stipulates that "the enforcement officials in non-violent assemblies shall avoid the use of force or where that is not practicable shall restrict such force to the minimum extent necessary".

Lawyers For Liberty demands Home Minister Hishamuddin Tun Hussein and the inspector general of police to stop the continued assault on the student movement to demand academic freedom, and release all the students who are being currently detained and bring to justice police officers who have been involved in using excessive force against the students.

Fadiah Nadwa Fikri writes on behalf of the NGO Lawyers For Liberty.