They have been up the corporate building o­n Jalan Raja Laut in Kuala Lumpur before, and today they walked down the same polished corridors bearing the same mission that is no less diminished despite the passage of two years and at least 10 memorandums o­n the same topic.

Their mission: To appeal to the highest human rights authority of the country for its help in securing the release of six men detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

The Abolish ISA Movement (AIM) today submitted yet another memorandum to the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) to demand that the commission pressure the government to release the six detainees as they near the end of their detention period.

Pak Lah criticised

AIM steering committee chairperson Zaid Kamaruddin urged Suhakam to apply any means available in its capacity to ensure the release of Mohamed Ezam Mohd Nor, Tian Chua, Hishamuddin Rais, Saari Sungib, Dr Badrulamin Bahron and Lokman Noor Adam, who were unlawfully arrested in April 2001.

The political activists, called the ISA 6, were ordered to serve a two-year detention in the Kamunting camp 60 days after their arrest.

"The law that allows detention without trial is cruel as it denies human rights and (is against the) principles of democracy," said Zaid who also represented the families of ISA detainees before commissioner Prof Hamdan Adnan.

Families of the ISA detainees, their relatives and supporters also turned up at Suhakam to express their disappointment with how the authorities have treated their case.

Zaid criticised Home Minister and Deputy Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for dismissing the Federal Court ruling o­n Sept 6 last year that the detention of Mohamed Ezam, Chua, Saari, Hishamuddin and Free Anwar Campaign director Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin was illegal and in bad faith.

"The court has issued a habeas corpus order to free them, but they continue to be detained under the order of home minister according to Section 8 of the act," he said.

Raja Petra, however, was not taken to Kamunting camp as he was freed during the 60-day detention period while Mohd Ezam has been jailed in the Kajang prison since August for breaching the Official Secrets Act.

Zaid said the increasing use of the ISA is a worrying trend and questioned why the police refused to use other laws in the Penal Code or the Police Act.

"We believe that every arrest under the ISA o­nly reflects police failure to come up with concrete evidence," he said.

'Violates Islam'

Meanwhile, Saari's wife Aliza Jaafar too criticised Abdullah, who is also acting prime minister, alleging that he has committed an offence against the Constitution for failing to respect the Federal Court.

"The court found that their arrest had nothing to do with national security matters," she told reporters after the dialogue with Suhakam.

She added that AIM is mulling plans to sue the police for its failure to heed the court ruling.

In addition, Abdullah's recent statement that his ministry is not bound to accept recommendations from Suhakam or the ISA advisory board o­nly reflects that the two bodies are being abused by the government to cover up its cruel act, she asserted.

In December, the ISA advisory board which reviewed the six detainees' case recommended their release, but its advice was shot down by the government who insisted that their detention was for valid security concerns.

Aliza however insisted that it was time for the government to release the ISA 6 as their detention period is ending soon.

"Arresting people without any proof is clearly violating Islamic teachings," she added.