Human rights lawyer P Uthayakumar, who has refused thus far to support his allegations against police personnel accused of assaulting him and damaging his car, said this is part of his 'civil disobedience" strategy.

On July 19, the Internal Security Ministry had said in a written parliamentary reply that police would obtain a court order to compel him to give a statement in relation to the police reports he had lodged in May, before his short-lived bid to seek political asylum in Britain.

Interviewed at his office yesterday, Uthayakumar said his lawyers have been "trying to tell the police that we do not trust the same people we're accusing of the crime, to investigate the matter independently".

"We have called on the Royal Commission on the Police to conduct the investigation (instead), but I believe they are passing the buck back to the police," he said.

He also called on the police not to act "behind my back" as and when they apply for a court order to make him give a statement.

"They should notify us...so that we can go to court to oppose the application. The court can decide after hearing our arguments," he said.

Explaining his stance, Uthayakumar cited several cases up to 12 years ago in which there were "no positive results" into reports lodged against the police.

"You don't need to give a statement to the police, as there has been no action against their own. They just cannot investigate independently," he alleged.

Uthayakumar also produced a letter from the Attorney-General's Chambers stating that no action would be taken against a police officer over a report lodged in 2000.

"This was a case where witnesses identified the police officer who had assaulted a man. Medical reports were provided as well. But there was...no action," he said.

As a result, he said members of the Police Watch Committee, lawyers and families involved in cases he has been defending have engaged in "civil disobedience".

"We are all not giving statements when a police report is lodged against the police," he said.

'Drop in numbers'

Uthayakumar further claimed that the monitoring of police shooting deaths over the first six months had shown that the number of such incidents from an average of five cases a month has been reduced to just one.

"The message seems to have been received. The police top brass and internal security ministry have obviously reacted to the pressure," he said.

The Police Watch Committee has highlighted cases of custodial deaths and those involving trigger-happy police over the past few years. Several members who are lawyers have represented the families in attempting to hold the authorities to account.

On May 10, Uthayakumar claimed he had been attacked at gunpoint allegedly by police personnel unhappy with his criticism of official handling of a case involving missing detainee G Francis Udayappan.

The lawyer then fled to Britain where he sought asylum on arrival at Heathrow airport in London. However, he returned on June 14 after receiving the government's guarantee of safety. Although he has since asked for police protection , this has not been provided.

"I turned down internship offers from human rights bodies in London and Geneva while I was there because I'm required to continue my job here," he said.

"I've not gotten over the trauma of being attacked and I feel tense every time I drive to and from work. On the advice of close friends and supporters, I try to stay indoors as much as possible."

Adding that he occasionally gets the feeling that he is "being watched and followed", he conceded that there have been no incidents affecting his safety since his return.