A group of 50, including lawyers and parliamentarians, protested in front of Bukit Aman today against the manhandling of their colleague by police.

But according to the victim, Amer Hamzah Arshad, the issue is not about "lawyer's rights but a citizen's right to receive legal representation."

Amer said that he was restrained after asking plainclothes officers for their authorization card and the grounds on which they were detaining his client, actor Khaeryll Benjamin Ibrahim (better known as Benjy) last week.

The Mar 25 incident happened soon after his client posted bail after he was charged for drug possession. .

"For someone to be re-arrested after he has claimed trial and posted bail is a mockery of the justice system," said Amer.

hindraf probed by police 141008 latheefa koya The group led by Amer and human rights lawyers N Surendran and Latheefa Koya ( right ), handed the memorandum to a police public relations officer who received in on behalf of police chief, Musa Hassan.

The memorandum demanded that Musa apologise for the incident, and undertake that it does not happen again.

They also called for stern action to be taken on the officers who restrained Amer, and that the police respect the rights of citizens to free access to lawyers at all times.

The protestors also held up a banner which read, "Defend legal rights for citizens. Article 5 of the Federal Constitution"

Also present were Benjy's sister Elza Irdalynna, Bar Council president Ragunath Kesavan and parliamentarians R Sivarasa, S Manickavasagam and M Manoharan.