THE arrest of 12 people for allegedly attempting to revive the defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terror group has human rights activists once again questioning the authorities over cases of abuse of detainees in custody.

Complaints have been lodged at the Selayang Sessions Court of police allegedly coercing one of the suspects to confess that he had tried to revive the terror group.

Activists are also accusing the 18-month-old Pakatan Harapan government of reneging on its promise to curb custodial abuse and to do away with controversial laws, such as the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act.

Suaram executive director Sevan Doraisamy told The Malaysian Insight that PH has failed to put an end to custodial abuses by the police.

Despite the change in government, police are still abusing inmates in custody, he said.

“This is not only happening to the inmates but also their families. The culture has continued on. It looks as if the PH government, especially the Home Ministry, has failed to put a stop to this issue,” Sevan said.

He was referring to the allegations by A. Kalaimughilan, one of the suspects held under Sosma for alleged links to the LTTE, that he was coerced to confess to the crimes he never committed.

The 28-year-old scrap metal collector told the court that police threatened to arrest his wife and blind father.

Sevan said Suaram was not surprised with Kalaimughilan’s allegation as the pressure group had filed complaints on the issue a long time ago.

Custodial abuses have been practised since the time of the Internal Security Act, which has now been repealed and replaced with Sosma.

“Suaram has raised the issue many times but the complaints have fallen on deaf ears of the police who are seen as not being serious addressing the problem.

“This is one of the reasons we need the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct (IPCMC),” he said, referring to the commission to investigate wrongdoing in the police force.

Citizen Action Group on Enforced Disappearance (CAGED) spokesman Rama Ramanathan said police and the attorney-general have made a huge blunder by charging the LTTE suspects.

He said a stigma will be attached to the suspects even if they are released later.

“There is a lot of pressure for the suspects to be charged. Police have to find ways to prove that they are guilty, so they need a confession,” Rama said.

“Sosma detainees said they were forced to admit. Because of that Sosma has to be repealed to save the police and attorney-general from making the wrong decision,” he added. – December 10, 2019.