Ten individuals who were remanded for three days after they had gathered in front of the Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday have been released on police bail at 1.40pm in time for Deepavali.

The eight men and two women were freed on RM1,000 bail each ahead of tomorrow's Deepavali festival of lights celebrations.

Among those who were released was Police Watch and Human Rights Committee coordinator S Jayathas who revealed that the group would have to report back to the Putrajaya district police headquarters on Nov 25.

“We went to the PM’s office as a citizen accompanying a girl to give a letter of appeal to release all ISA detainees but we were detained for illegal assembly. Later, we were investigated under the Societies Act instead."

Police said that they were being investigated for allegedly being members of the outlawed Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

“What has that law got to do against sending a letter? We refused to give our statements (to the police) and answered ‘we will answer in court’ to all their questions,” said Jayathas when contacted.

He added that all 10 detainees also went on hunger strike during their detention in protest against their arrests.

Freed on 'humanitarian ground'

Police said the 10 were released to enable them to celebrate Deepavali, said the New Straits Times online.

"Although the police, under the law, could extend their remand orders to facilitate investigations, on humanitarian ground they were released to enable them to celebrate the festive occasion," the spokesman said.

On Friday, the Kajang magistrate court granted a three-day remand order which expired this evening. The police had initially sought a 14-day remand period.

The letter to the prime minister was handwritten by six-year-old W Vwashnnavi, the daughter of Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy.

hindraf kajang magistrate 241008 shanti Vwashnnavi and her mother K Shanti ( right ) were picked up by police along with the 10 but were released after statements was recorded from the latter. The police said that Vwashnnavi was not arrested.

Meanwhile, counsel for the 10, Amer Hamzah Arshad, expressed unhappiness despite the release of those detained.

“They should not have been arrested in the first place. Moreover, the remand application was defective from the onset. The fact that they were released today doesn’t mean justice has been served.

“Let us not forget the that they were arrested and detained for four days for merely demanding for the release of all ISA detainees. This entire episode is evident that our criminal justice system is flawed,” he told Malaysiakini .

PAS MPs give support

Another lawyer for the 10, Gobind Singh Deo said that he had been instructed by the group to study the possibility of initiating legal action against the relevant authorities over the detention.

“We cannot have this recurring, where members of the public who submit a documents gets arrested. This is a bad precedence which must be dealt with,” he said.

On the decision by the detainees to remain silent while their statements were recorded, Gobind said that the decision was made after the lawyers were consulted.

“They did so because of the ridiculous nature of the entire episode. To them, going to the PM’s office to submit a letter is entirely lawful and their detention is ridiculous. So the best thing to do under such circumstances is to remain silent,” he said.

Gobind, who is Puchong MP, was present during the release of the 10, along with two PAS parliamentarians - Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad and Kuala Selangor MP Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad.

husam putrajaya hindraf 251008 give money Yesterday, a few top leaders of the Islamic opposition party, including vice-president Husam Musa ( left ), visited the police station where the detainees were held in a show of support.

Hindraf outlawed

Hindraf has been declared illegal by the government which found it "posed a threat to public order and morality".

Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar has warned legal action will be taken against any group involved with the movement.

Hindraf chairman Waythamoorthy, who fled to Britain before the group's leadership was rounded up last year, vowed the movement would continue to fight for the rights of Hindus.

Hindraf angered the government last November by mounting a mass rally alleging discrimination against ethnic Indians.

Five leaders are being held under the draconian Internal Security Act which allows for renewable two-year periods of detention without trial.