Amnesty International today expressed concern over the health of six Keadilan leaders and reformasi activists who are undergoing a two-year Internal Security Act detention and reiterated its call for their release.

The human rights watchdog said the six have lost weight and are suffering from various health problems such as blood in the urine, high blood pressure and migraines.

"They have also been boycotting prison food since September in protest of their treatment," said AI in a statement.

The organisation also called on the authorities to provide the detainees, who are being held at the Kamunting Detention Centre in Perak, with nutritious food, appropriate medical care and access to independent doctors.

The six detainees are Keadilan leaders Tian Chua, Mohd Ezam Mohd Noor, Saari Sungib, Dr Badrul Amin Baharom, Lokman Nor Adam, and social activist-cum- malaysiakini columnist Hishamuddin Rais.

They were among the 10 people arrested in April under the ISA for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government via militant means.

Four were subsequently released unconditionally but the rest were sent for two-year detention in June on orders by the home minister.

The six have since been adopted by AI as prisoners of conscience.

Psychological torture

AI, known for championing the rights of political prisoners, stressed that the six "should not have been imprisoned in the first place" as the charge of trying to overthrow the government by militant means was never substantiated.

"They have been made to suffer for their peaceful dissenting political activities," it said.

Among the maltreatment meted out to the detainees are solitary confinement in tiny windowless cells, denial of access to lawyers for two months, intensive interrogation which amounted to psychological torture, added AI.

"Police interrogation focused on the internal organisation of Keadilan. There was no mention of any alleged plans to use violence," it said.

Keadilan was set up in 1999 following the sacking and subsequent jailing of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. The party is currently led by his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Recently, the Human Rights Commission or Suhakam said it would release a report next month which recommends better rights for detainees at Kamunting.

The recommendations include better food for detainees and no barrier to separate detainees from their families during visits.

AI today reiterated its condemnation of the use of ISA against political dissidents in the country.

"The law is a harsh piece of legislation which has been used by the authorities for decades to stifle legitimate dissent and to instill a climate of fear," it said.

Silence critics

Opposition parties and civil groups have claimed that the government has used the security law which allows indefinite detention without trial to silence its critics, but this has been denied by the government.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad recently said the Act has worked well in combating terrorism within the country.

The premier said without the ISA, it would have been difficult to bring Muslim radicals such as members of the Malaysian Mujahidin Group (KMM) to book as "normal court procedures would entail adducing proper evidence which would have been difficult to obtain".

Last month, nine people, mostly PAS members, were placed under a two-year detention for allegedly being involved in the KMM which was said to be responsible for the bombing of a church and a temple, a spate of robberies and the assassination of a politician.

Early this month, another six KMM members were arrested under the ISA.

A total of 4,190 people have been detained under the ISA since the law was enacted in 1960 to battle a communist insurgency. Some 69 people are currently being held under the law.