POLICE have summoned three civil society activists to explain statements they made linking Pastor Raymond Koh and three others who went missing with “enforced disappearances”.

Engage spokesman Thomas Fann, Suaram’s Sevan Doraisamy and Bersih’s Rama Ramanathan have been told to present themselves at the Bukit Aman headquarters on May 24.

The trio are part of the Citizen Action Group On Enforced Disappearance (Caged) which was formed earlier this month.

Fann, who is also Caged spokesman, said they had expected to be hauled up by the police after making the statement last month.

“When we decided to call it enforced disappearance, we expected that the authorities would not take kindly to that allegation,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Fann said they will fully cooperate with the police.

“We will be going with our lawyers. We will need their advice as to not incriminate ourselves.

“We will say what has been shared with the public like the CCTV footage and the fact that the IGP has admitted that there is no breakthrough in the case and no updates from the police to the families,” he said.

Sevan, who is also Caged spokesman, said they will stick to the statement they made on “enforced disappearances”.

“Why is there still silence on the missing four? We are prepared to give our statements and we also welcome a dialogue with the police and will work together for the safe return of those missing,” he said.

Caged has sent a report on Koh to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) after getting the consent of his family last week.

In international human rights law, a forced disappearance or enforced disappearance occurs when a person is secretly abducted or imprisoned by a state or political organisation or by a third party with the authorisation, support, or acquiescence of a state or political organisation.

Koh was abducted from his car in Petaling Jaya on Feb 13 by 15 men in three black SUVs. The kidnapping, which took place in broad daylight, appeared to have been well coordinated.

Joshua Hilmy, a pastor of Malay descent, and his wife Ruth, went missing on Nov 30 last year while Amir Che Mat went missing on the night of Nov 24 last year after he told his eldest daughter that he was going out. – May 18, 2017.