The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has decided to hold a public inquiry on the arrest of five lawyers from the Kuala Lumpur Legal Aid Centre.

The decision was reached during Suhakam's monthly meeting today.

lawyers at brickfields police station 220509 The five lawyers were arrested on May 7 for illegal assembly after attempting to provide legal aid to a group of individuals who were nabbed during a candlelight vigil in support of Bersih activist Wong Chin Huat, who was detained under the Sedition Act.

All of them were released after being detained overnight.

In a statement, Suhakam vice-chairperson Simon Sipaun said the commission has appointed a three-member panel to carry out the inquiry.

The panel will be chaired by Muhammad Shafee Abdullah. The other two commissioners are Michael Yeoh and Denison Jayasooria.

Looking into two aspects

Meanwhile, Sipaun said the inquiry will look into two matters.

"The public inquiry will determine whether or not the arrests of the five contravened provisions of the Federal Constitution and other substantive and procedural criminal laws which guarantee the right to an arrested person," he said.

The panel will also look into whether there was justification or necessity to arrest the lawyers under Section 27 of the Police Act.

Previously, the Bar Council had submitted a memorandum to Suhakam asking for a public inquiry over the arrests.

They have also passed a memorandum highlighting what had transpired during the arrest to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Minister in Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz.

The five lawyers arrested were Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, Syuhaini Safwan, Puspawati Rosman, Ravinder Singh and Murnie Hidayah Anuar.