The three youths who were banished under restriction orders under the Emergency Ordinance were finally released today, months after the Emergency proclamations were lifted.

 

Mohd Rafe Mohamed Ali, 20, his brother Mohd Ramadhan, 22, and Mohamad Arif Abu Semah, 20, dubbed the EO Trio, were released without conditions about a year after their arrest.

They were first detained under the Emergency Ordinance on March 19 last year and then later banished under the Restrictive Residence Act 1933 on May 17, 2011.  

According to their lawyer, K Shanmuga, the release order was received this morning.

“Our clients are relieved and happy, and hope that their ordeal is over,” Shanmuga said when contacted.

He added that the lawyers had written to the home minister on Feb 3 to seek the release of their clients, after the Act was lifted on Oct 15.

Shanmuga said the lawyers, in their letter, indicated that a judicial review against the government on the matter would be dropped upon their clients’ release.

“The judicial review will be dropped on March 13,” he said.

The trio were arrested for alleged motorcycle thefts in Selayang on Mar 8, 2011. Arif was banished to Mersing, Johor; Mohd Ramadhan to Chemor, Pahang; and Mohd Rafe to Kulim, Kedah.

Allegedly beaten during detention

The family of Mohd Ramadhan and Mohd Rafe had previously claimed to have been cheated of RM13,000, which was paid as “police bail” to a man who claimed to be a police officer in order for the brothers’ release.

In a press statement, Suaram executive director E Nalini said the trio were beaten and deprived of legal representation during their detention.

"We call upon the government to stop the police from making any more arrests under the EO, to immediately release and charge in open court under existing criminal laws all those currently detained or restricted under the EO and to stop enacting laws that allow for detention without trial," Nalini said.

The government lifted three emergency proclamations on Nov 24, 2011, and the Emergency officially ended when the Dewan Negara passed the resolution last November.

Laws made under Emergency powers, including the Emergency Ordinance, will be considered void in June.

The Restricted Residence Act 1933 was repealed on Oct 5, and those held under the Act were released in the same month.