INTERVIEW Their mother is not a terrorist. Of that they are sure.

However, for the three sons of Bersih's chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah, the rest of the story on the arrest and detention of their mother has remained a mystery.

Denied access to their mother, who is being detained under the Special Offences (Security Measures) Act 2012, all they know now is that the time has come to continue the struggles of both their parents for free and fair elections.

Maria has been the face of Bersih for the coalition's last two rallies, but was prevented from leading the last Bersih 5 rally in Kuala Lumpur.

Maria's eldest son, Azumin Yunus, said they have been warned that she would one day be arrested for her work.

"But nobody ever expected her to be arrested and detained under Sosma.

"So, it is really a huge shock to all of us on that part. But we managed to cope," Azumin (photo) told Malaysiakini in a joint interview with his brothers on Monday night.

"We just told ourselves that, okay our mum is now detained, what can we do to help her?" said the 23-year-old who was at Dataran Merdeka for what would be the first of nightly vigils demanding Maria's release.

Azumin had earlier the same day lodged a police report against the conditions of Maria's detention, in solitary confinement at an undisclosed location.

A habeas corpus application has also been filed to challenge the legalities of her detention.

Even before her sudden arrest, her second son Aziman revealed, Maria has been preparing them for when the moment would actually come.

"Our parents have been fighting for free and fair elections for a long time.

"So they were very sure to remind us, their children, that maybe one day they could be locked up in prison," Aziman recalled.

"Although it is quite horrible that it has happened, we are a very calm and collected family.

"We try our best not to panic because it is a waste of energy that you spend elsewhere to basically fight for the release of people unrightfully put in prison," Aziman (photo) said.

Their late father, Yunus Ali, founded the National Institute for Electoral Integrity in 2007.

He helmed the electoral watchdog movement until his passing from kidney failure in September 2010.

"That’s what they did to our father. They put him in ISA," Aziman said.

Yunus, a former guerrilla commando with the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, was caught during the 1987 Ops Lalang government dragnet upon his return from exile in London.

He married Maria upon his release, after two years in the Kamunting detention centre.

As children, Aziman said, they only knew that their parents were "some sort of activists, but we were not sure".

He added: "So while growing up, we never really could fight next to our father or our mother at the time.

"Now that we are older, we would be glad to do anything for the fight for free and fair elections with our mother."

'Lessons from their mother'

In their mother's absence, each of Maria's sons shared a lesson from which they draw upon their strength.

Azumin said Maria had taught him to be a voice for the voiceless - a lesson learnt since her early days as a women's rights activist - often bringing home stacks of case files on abused children.

"I was maybe five or six years old… At first I really didn’t know what it was about. I just sat there and looked at the photos.

"She explained to me there were all these children who are unfortunate and being abused and so we must be thankful we have a happy household," Azumin said.

For Aziman, not only was Maria an inspiration, she had also introduced the children to role models whom they should look up to.

Top of the list, he said, would be former South African president Nelson Mandela and his own lifetime spent behind bars.

"His will to always fight for what is right and for justice is really an inspiration for us.

"We read his book, about his fight and that really have been a lot of the driving power to our stance on free and fair elections today," Aziman said.

Maria's youngest son, Azemi (photo), said he respected his mother's will power and strength in the face of death threats made against them; on top of intimidation by the authorities.

"She still stood very strong.

"If I was in her situation, I may not be as strong. And I think that’s the most respectable part about her," said the 20-year-old Azemi, who allowed his older brothers to do most of the talking.

Maria took over the Bersih chairperson's post in December 2013 and all three of them agreed that the time spent with their mother at home has been precious.

'Empty bedroom a constant reminder'

"Whenever she’s at home, she tries her best to be a good mother. So she cooks us meals and she watches a lot of television series with us.

"All this Jamie Oliver and all that stuff. She tries her best and as a mother trying all these is really quite beautiful," said Aziman who is studying to be a game designer.

Even with their grandfather and aunt now around at home, Aziman said, Maria's empty bedroom is a constant reminder of her absence - and of the fact that she is forced to live in solitary confinement, without even the most basic of amenities.

"And we do not know when she will be home again..." he added.

Under Sosma, Maria can be detained for up to 28 days without trial.

She is also being investigated under Section 124C of the Penal Code for alleged involvement in activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.