Former Bersih chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan said a habeas corpus application will be filed on her successor Maria Chin Abdullah’s detention under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma).

"It's unacceptable she is detained under Sosma.

"We will do all in our power to make sure she will be out soon," she told those present at KLCC this evening.

Describing the Bersih 5 participants as the “hope of the nation”, Ambiga said they would be the ones to bring change in the nation.

She then urged the crowd to shout “Bersih 5" as loud as they could to the point that Maria and Bersih secretariat member Mandeep Singh, who was also arrested, could hear them.

This afternoon, inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed that Maria has been detained under Sosma.

Maria was arrested yesterday after a police team from Bukit Aman together with officers from the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) raided the Bersih office in Petaling Jaya.

She can be detained up to 28 days under Sosma.

During the two-hour raid, computers, mobile phones as well as documents related to Bersih’s bank accounts and payroll were confiscated.

Police are investigating Bersih under Section 124C of the Penal Code for attempts to carry out activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.

This is after it was revealed that the electoral watchdog received funds from the Open Society Foundations, which is linked to billionaire George Soros.

Mandeep, on the other hand, was detained for rioting.