Human rights NGO Eliminating Death and Abuse in Custody Together (Edict) has called on Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador and Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin to look into two death in custody cases that it claims have not been explained satisfactorily.

Citing "growing public concern over the appalling number of deaths in police lockups", Edict in a statement today urged Hamid and Hamzah to arrest the slide in public confidence in the police.

It cited two cases that it had highlighted recently within an interval of just over three weeks.

"No one should die in a lockup. Yet an average of 16 suspects die in lockups every year in Malaysia.

"Every lockup death is an avoidable death and a blemish on the police who are responsible for the welfare of all detainees. Therefore, we expect the police to take vigorous steps to end lockup deaths," said Edict.

Edict also urged Kuala Lumpur police chief Mazlan Lazim to reveal the disclosure protocol for deaths in custody in the KL police district.

"Other than the coroner (as required by law), to whom must the police report the death?

"What information must the police release to each victim’s family
and to the public and by when?" it asked.

Edict claimed that to date, the police have released no information about an individual who died in the Dang Wangi lockup on June 26.

"We do not know his name, age, occupation, place of arrest, and reason for the arrest. We do not know the name and rank of the officer assigned to investigate the death.

"We do not know the target dates for key milestones in the investigation," said the group.

The other death Edict cited was that of "Dhan Bahadur", saying there was still no explanation over how the police misidentified a Nepali man who died in the Jinjang lockup on May 31.

KL police had previously said that 37-year-old “Dhan Bahadur” was found dead in his cell five days after he was remanded.  

The Nepali embassy later confirmed that the real Dhan Bahadur had left Malaysia in 2018, and was alive in Nepal.

"To date, we do not know why the police failed to obtain confirmation from the Nepal embassy before they claimed ‘Dhan’ was a citizen of Nepal.

"We do not know why the Malaysian immigration authorities could not assist in his identification. We do not know what action has been taken against the employers of ‘Dhan’.

"We do not know why the police asked the public for information about ‘Dhan’ without providing a photo or sketch of him to assist the public to identify him," said Edict.

Mazlan had previously ruled out foul play in the Nepali’s death even though autopsy and laboratory results were pending. The death had been classified as a “sudden death”.

The group urged Hamid and Hamzah to establish a special standard operating procedure to cover deaths and abuse in custody.

"Only then will the public believe that the police treat arrested persons as living beings, not as inanimate objects," said the group.

NGO questions misidentification of Nepali who died in custody

NGO questions misidentification of Nepali who died in custody

Cops say ascertaining real identity of Nepali who died in custody

Cops say ascertaining real identity of Nepali who died in custody

Edict disputes perception Indians 'over-represented' in custodial deaths

Edict disputes perception Indians 'over-represented' in custodial deaths

Police: No foul play in Nepali’s death in custody

Police: No foul play in Nepali’s death in custody