Several civil rights groups today condemned Sunday's arrest of a group of Indian nationals, calling it an excessive use of police powers.

In separate press statements, labour rights organisation Tenaganita and the National Human Rights Society (Hakam) criticised the police action as "abusive, intolerant and brutal".

"The police force is able to act with such impunity and arrogance because the authorities, in particular the Home Ministry, have condoned such actions and have even very consistently protected the police force," said Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez ( photo ).