As the detention order for the six reformasi activists held under the Internal Security Act nears , two more organisations today join the bandwagon in calling for their release.

Social reform movement Aliran and the National Human Rights Organisation (Hakam) are the latest additions to a list of luminaries and organisations who have urged the government to free the six who have remained in detention since 2001.

"It is very compelling for the government to grant these prisoners of conscience their overdue freedom considering that their (initial) detention has been declared illegal by the Federal Court and that the Advisory Board has recommended their release," said Aliran in a press statement.

Last September, the court ruled that their initial 60-day detention was illegal but fell short of calling for their release from their two-year imprisonment at the Kamunting Detention Camp.

The six are Keadilan leaders Tian Chua, Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, Lokman Nor Adam, Dr Badrulamin Baharon, Saari Sungib and malaysiakini columnist-cum-filmmaker Hishamuddin Rais.

The detention order for Tian, Mohd Ezam and Badrulamin will expire tomorrow while for the rest o­n June 13.

However, Mohd Ezam is serving a separate two-year sentence at the Kajang Prison for breaching the Official Secrets Act by leaking classified documents pertaining to a graft probe o­n two ruling politicians.

'Glaring injustice'

"It is a crying shame that these six men have been detained solely o­n the basis that their political views are opposed to the o­ne preferred by the ruling coalition party (Barisan Nasional)," said Aliran's executive committee member Mustafa K Anwar.

However, the government claimed the six were not arrested for political reasons but because they were planning to topple the government through militant means, a charge which they have denied.

According to Aliran, the 'glaring injustice' has prompted parliamentarians from around the world to join local and foreign civil society groups in protesting the continued detention of the six.

It was reported recently that 46 members of Denmark's Parliament had joined parliamentarians from Britain, Japan and the Netherlands in calling for their release.

The Penang-based movement also condemned the alleged assault o­n two of the detainees - Tian Chua and Hishamuddin - by camp authorities recently which it termed as adding insult to injury.

Kamunting has denied the allegation, claiming that they o­nly carried out a routine search o­n the dormitories.

No evidence

Meanwhile, Hakam said the six should be released since the authorities have yet to produce any evidence to back their claim.

The organisation also noted the Federal Court's decision and the Advisory Board's recommendation as well as Human Rights Commission of Malaysia's (Suhakam) call for their release.

"We firmly urge the home minister (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) to exercise his ministerial powers to put an end to the injustices perpetuated against the six.

"Release them immediately and give them back their liberty," said the organisation's secretary general Elizabeth Wong.

Under the ISA, which provides for detention without trial, the home minister is empowered to extend their detention if the six are still deemed as threat to national security.