A student leader who was temporarily detained during a foiled march last Friday in support of seven undergraduates on trial for illegal assembly has lodged a police report over his arrest.

The sole person arrested, spokesperson for the Students'' Abolish ISA Movement (GMMI) Syahrir Mahmood, filed his complaint yesterday afternoon at the Dang Wangi police station in Kuala Lumpur.

He claimed that the police had acted with unnecessary and excessive force to disperse a 300-strong crowd of students who were marching from the National Mosque to the Kuala Lumpur magistrate's court where the ISA 7 trial was to be heard.

In his report, Syahrir said he was crossing Jalan Hishamuddin, adjacent to the Dayabumi complex, at about 2:30pm when he saw some 30 police personnel ahead of him.

He said he attempted to negotiate with the police to allow the students to march towards the courts but the police refused, giving students only seconds to disperse.

Pepper sprayed

The 28-year-old student leader said he then heard an officer shout "Tangkap! (arrest)" before six or seven policemen rushed towards him and grabbed hold of him.

"My neck was gripped tightly and I felt myself being beaten around the head and back. My face was also sprayed (with pepper spray) and my eyes stung.

"My body weakened and I almost passed out. I also felt blood dripping down my neck,"" he said, displaying the scars on the left side of his neck.

Following the arrest, Syahrir said he was brought to the Dang Wangi district police headquarters where he was requested to give a statement on the incident.

He said he was not harassed during this process although he was handcuffed the entire time.

Syahrir was released five hours later on police bail and asked to report back on Aug 1.

Repeal UUCA

Another demonstrator, Amien Arief, was also "manhandled" by the police during a scuffle but was not arrested.

The demonstration was held in support of the ISA7, who were so dubbed after they were slapped illegal assembly charges more than two years ago for demonstrating against the arrest under the ISA of six reformasi activists.

The seven were also suspended from their respective universities for breaching the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) which prohibits student participation in any political activities.

The demonstrators on Friday had also called for a repeal of the UUCA.

Guaranteed rights

Meanwhile, human rights organisation Suaram said it was "appalled and disgusted" by the actions taken by the police to stop the students from marching.

Suaram said that the peaceful procession would have proceeded without untoward incidents if the police had been more "respectful, understanding and patient".

"These students were merely exercising their constitutional and human rights to free speech and expression, association, peaceful assembly and procession. There (rights) are guaranteed under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution and Articles 19 and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," the organisation said in a press statement.