Maria Chin and police initiate settlement negotiations over her lawsuit
Former Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah and the police have initiated settlement negotiations with regard to her suit against them, following her detention under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 in 2016.
Maria was detained under Sosma for 10 days prior to the Bersih 5 rally that year.
This was informed by lawyer Latheefa Koya and senior federal counsel Kamal Azira Hassan, who is also the Tort and Statutory Duties unit head in the Civil Division of the Attorney General Chambers, to Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamed...
Maria was detained under Sosma for 10 days prior to the Bersih 5 rally that year.
This was informed by lawyer Latheefa Koya and senior federal counsel Kamal Azira Hassan, who is also the Tort and Statutory Duties unit head in the Civil Division of the Attorney General Chambers, to Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamed.
Following that, Justice Nik Hasmat fixed Feb 18 for case management to update the court.
Maria, who is now Petaling Jaya MP, filed the suit on Aug 6 last year, where she claimed that her incarceration under the Sosma was unlawful.
She named the inspector-general of police, home minister and government, as defendants.
In her statement of claim, Maria said she was arrested on the afternoon of Nov 18, 2016, at her office in Petaling Jaya.
The next day, she was detained by police officer Wan Aedil Wan Abdullah under Sosma and investigated under Section 124C of the Penal Code for activities detrimental to democracy.
On Nov 22, 2016, Maria's son filed a habeas corpus application and she was released on Nov 28, a day before the scheduled hearing.
She claimed that her detention was to create fear to intimidate people from attending the Bersih 5 rally and that there was no justification for her arrest.
Maria further claimed that she had been subjected to inhumane conditions while under detention as she suffered from hypertension and was placed in a cell with no pillows or mattress.
She is claiming general, exemplary and additional damages for her detention.
The government, in its defence, said that the police acted based on a report lodged by one Wan Ahmad Zakiman Wan Ismail, based on an article published in the Malay Mail that year.
Following the publication of the article, several police reports were lodged, it added. The police further denied that her detention was unlawful and explained that investigations were carried out under Section 124C as there had been reasonable belief that the offence had been committed.
The police also claimed that Maria's rights were explained to her during the course of the investigation, and she was given ample medical treatment while under detention.
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