Human rights group Suaram today urged the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) to probe the allegedly unlawful arrest of a former policeman, for illegal parking.

According to activist S Arutchelvan, the victim, Mohammad Yazid Apatura Abdullah, 33, was also mistreated by the police during his overnight detention following his arrest last month.

A memorandum passed to Suhakam stated that Yazid was picked up at about 3.30am outside a coffee joint in Jalan Telawi, Bangsar, on Nov 18, by plainclothes policemen.

"When I asked them what I was arrested for, they told me to shut up and took me to the Travers police station, where I was made to carry a valet table to the second floor of the station, via the staircase. This hurt my back.

"At the station, I was also instructed to open my shirt to check for tattoos, and all my protests fell on deaf ears, with them repeatedly telling me to keep quiet.

"One of the officers also shamed me for converting to Islam, questioning my decision to embrace the religion after marrying a Muslim. I was also made to sign on a form listing the rights of a detained person. I initially refused to but relented due to concerns about my safety," Yazid claimed in the memorandum.

On Nov 19, Yazid was taken before a Magistrate, where the investigating officer (IO) asked for a remand for three days.

"The Magistrate rejected the remand request as the IO did not know what I was arrested for, to begin with," he said.

Following his release the same, day, Yazid lodged a report with the Public Complaints Bureau, as well as the Human Resources Ministry.

He claimed that he was not given a chance to call a lawyer or his family during detention and that the episode caused him a suspension from his job, and mental trauma.

Suaram demanded Suhakam carry out an independent probe into the matter and urged for the immediate suspension of officers and policemen involved in Yazid's detention.

"Suhakam should also meet and discuss with the inspector-general of police and the Home Ministry, to discuss abuse of power and ill-treatment of detainees."