The Bar Council wants the police to conduct inquests into the "many cases of deaths in custody", which have occurred in the past few years.

The 11,000-strong legal body said it welcomed the police assurance that all custodial deaths of detainees will be investigated within a month, and a timely inquest be held in each and every case.

However, it called on the police to "demonstrate their seriousness" by immediately holding inquests on all previous deaths in custody.

Earlier this week, Federal CID chief Musa Hasan was quoted as saying that every death - whether in a lock-up or while being transported to and from court, or in the compound of a police station - will be investigated within a month.

According to Suhakam's 2003 Annual Report released last week, 23 people had died in police lock-ups between 2002 and July 2003.

Nazri's approach 'refreshing'

The Bar Council also found it refreshing to read reports that Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz had given an assurance that non-governmental organisations such as human rights group Suaram "will not be persecuted for their work".

"Various NGOs have for a long time been probing and asking pertinent questions about the value our society places on human lives, often to the displeasure of the authorities," said the council vice-chairperson Yeo Yang Poh.

"The Bar Council hopes that this will herald a new and sustained trend in the government of according the work of the NGOs the importance, respect and recognition that it deserves," he said.

Given this trend, Yeo urged the government to ensure that the Suhakam report be promptly and fully debated in Parliament.

Nazri had earlier said the government has opted not to debate the report.

Police ticked off

Yeo also chastised the police for threatening to bring charges of criminal defamation against human rights lawyer P Uthayakumar, who left to seek asylum in the United Kingdom last month.

Uthayakumar, who was recently assaulted at gunpoint , has claimed that his life was in danger from actions of the "police top brass", an allegation which has been vehemently denied by the police.

"In face of such a serious allegation, an independent and thorough investigation is no longer optional. The Police Royal Commission or Suhakam will be best placed to perform the task," said Yeo.

He said an independent probe will give both sides an opportunity to substantiate their claims.

"Welcoming an independent search for truth would be the appropriate response by the police, instead of going ahead with the threat of a charge of criminal defamation against their accuser."

Uthayakumar, who has highlighted cases of police brutality in the past few years, today said that he will be returning to Malaysia after Nazri guaranteed his safety .