Anti-Sedition Act coalition Gerakan Hapus Akta Hasutan (GHAH) wants an independent investigation into the allegation that student Ali Abd Jalil was tortured while held at the Sungai Buloh Prison.

“Ali was denied his access to family members for the first 12 days of his detention.

“Throughout his 15 days of detention in Sungai Buloh, Ali said he was verbally and physically abused, punched, slapped and hit with a baton and rubber pipe in an empty room.

“GHAH... strongly condemns the outrageous treatment of Ali Abd Jalil and calls for immediate and independent investigation into the allegations of torture and inhumane treatment of Ali Abd Jalil in the Sungai Buloh Prison.

“Justice must be done and the officials involved in such practices must be held accountable if the allegations were well-founded,” the group said in a statement today.

The group, comprising 132 organisations, including Suaram, Lawyers for Liberty and Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Civil Rights Committee, also called on the government to ensures that Ali is given regular access to lawyers and his family members in Johor Bharu Selatan, where he is now being held.

Ali was charged under the Sedition Act 1948 at the sessions court in Selayang on Sept 8 and was released on bail, only to be immediately arrested and charged with two more counts of sedition at the sessions court in Shah Alam.

He posted bail - now totalling RM8,000 - on Sept 23, only to be arrested and sent to Johor to face more charges.

“We take the strong objection to the abuse of the investigation system and prolonged detention of Ali by taking him to different locations and different states for charges that can be consolidated into one.

 

“The police, until today, have failed to give a valid explanation as to why he needs to be taken to Johor for an alleged seditious comment made on his Facebook page,” GHAH said in its statement.

The group expressed concern over Ali’s physical and mental well-being in Johor as he faces his fourth sedition charge, since his twin brother Ahmad Abd Jalil had been detained there in 2012 for allegedly questioning the Sultan of Johor.

 

“During the time, Ahmad was blindfolded, held without access to a lawyer and contact to his family for seven days,” GHAH said.