PKR Youth wants action on rogues who abused Sosma detainees

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PKR Youth has called for action against those responsible for abusing detainees under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.

This was after human rights group Suaram made public seven letters from Sosma detainees, which claimed they were abused while in detention .

PKR Youth organising secretary Ahmad Syukri Che Ab Razab acknowledged that the majority of Sosma detainees are terrorist suspects but said they should be treated in accordance with the law.

"Based on the complaints received by Suaram, there were detainees who were stomped on the head repeatedly, forced to masturbate and strip, made to crawl like a dog, forced to watch pornography and even made to recite the religious words for divorce ( taklik cerai ).

"Is this the standard procedure for police investigation against Sosma detainees?" he said.

Syukri said this was tantamount to punishing the detainees even before they are charged in court.

He called for the creation of a reconciliation commission to investigate possible wrongdoings based on the complaints by the Sosma detainees and bring those responsible to justice.

"This is important to address the public's trust deficit in the police force," he said.

Syukri said the abuse was a result of the draconian nature of Sosma.

He pointed out that Sosma had also previously been abused to detain Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's critics such as Khairuddin Abu Hassan and Matthias Chang.

Sosma allows for detention without trial of up to 28 days for suspects are believed to have committed security offences.

As such, Syukri said similar draconian laws such as the Prevention of Crime Act, the Prevention of Terrorism Act, the Dangerous Drugs Act 1985 as well as Sosma should be repealed.

He urged police to utilise its RM13.1 billion budget to improve the force's effectiveness instead of relying on draconian laws.



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