TWO DAP assemblymen detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) for allegedly promoting the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are expected to be charged tomorrow.

Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh confirmed that Seremban Jaya assemblyman P. Gunasekaran and Gadek assemblyman G. Saminathan are among those who will be brought to court.

“Four men including the two DAP state lawmakers will be brought to court. These four had filed a habeas corpus application at the KL High Court last Tuesday,” said Ramkarpal.

The other two to be charged tomorrow are local councillor V. Suresh Kumar and Green Technology Corporation CEO S. Chandru.

Ramkarpal said he is not sure about the status of Arivainthan Subramaniam, who had also filed a habeas corpus application with the four.

“I am not sure about him (Arivainthan Subramaniam),” Ramkarpal added.

On October 10, seven men were detained by Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism unit for supporting the long defunct Sri Lankan separatist group.

Two days later, the police apprehended another five men for the same offences, making the total number of people detained to 12.

They were detained in Selangor, Perak, Kedah, Negri Sembilan, Malacca, Penang and Kuala Lumpur.

Last Tuesday, five detainees – G. Saminathan, P. Gunasekaran, Chandru Suparmaniam, V. Suresh Kumar and Arivainthan Subramaniam applied for habeas corpus to challenge their detention under Sosma.

The individuals in their motion affirmed that they are not part of the banned and defunct LTTE, and denied trying to revive the militant group.

On Thursday, the high court fixed October 31 as the hearing date for the application.

Habeas corpus is legal recourse for those under detention to plead their case before a judge unless the authorities can prove lawful grounds for their arrest.

Following the crackdown on LTTE sympathisers, three women whose husbands were detained, staged a hunger strike and camped at the Bukit Aman police headquarters to demand for the release of their spouses.

Among the three were G. Umah Devi, whose husband is Saminanthan. She was accompanied by Vimalar Jakumaran, wife of V. Suresh Kumar, and Sumadi whose husband is S. Chandru.

Yesterday, all 12 detainees were allowed to meet with their families in conjunction with Deepavali at the KL police headquarters.

They were allowed to bring in food and each family were given two hours to spend with their loved ones. – October 28, 2019.