Police personnel who delay or deny detainees immediate medical attention must be prosecuted, said the Police Watch and Human Rights Committee.

In a letter to de facto Law Minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, it said the move would counter the numerous deaths in lock-ups.

"The police are in violation of Article 5 of the Federal Constitution (right to life) each time a detainee dies in police custody," said the letter signed by its legal adviser P Uthayakumar.

"The detainee is completely at the mercy of the police who controls 100 percent of the facts and circumstances of the death," it added.

Police Watch said there was no excuse for not bringing a detainee to hospital in good time because an inmate is watched around-the-clock.

Furthermore, it said, 'police friendly' junior magistrates granted unusually long periods of remands which caused severe injustice 'leaving detainees to die' in lock-ups.

The watchdog also pointed out that problems arose when considering that police inquests into deaths in detentions could last up to six to seven years.

Such inquests are ineffective as police officers were often investigated by their peers as opposed to an independent body, it noted.

"Calling for such inquests amounts to 'justice delayed is justice denied if not justice avoided," read the letter.

Implement IPCMC

Police Watch reiterated its call to implement the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) and urged Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Musa Hassan, who assumed the post last month, to retire next year.

It also protested the police chief's alleged directive to media organisations not to cover the handing of a memorandum last week regarding the death of 45-year-old woman detainee Samiyati Indrayani Zulkarnain.

While the post-mortem results cited health complications, her family suspected foul play.

The letter from Police Watch was also sent to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail.