KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 — Ivy Josiah and Ho Yock Lin were questioned by the police today for organising a protest demanding the release of Bersih 2.0 chief Maria Chin Abdullah from her Security Offences (Special Measures) detention last year.
Ivy, who is the former executive director of the Women’s Aid Organisation and Ho, the former president of the All Women’s Action Society, had their statements recorded at the Dang Wangi police station.
“They asked us around 18 questions related to the walk. We maintained that we were just exercising our freedom of speech and assembly according to the Federal Constitution,” Ivy told Malay Mail Online when contacted.
More than 500 women, led by individuals from various civil society organisations took part in the 2016 protest march from Jalan Merbok to Parliament to demand the release of Maria from Sosma, which allows for detentions without trial for up to 28 days.
She was arrested on November 18, a day before the Bersih 5 rally, and was kept in solitary confinement for 11 days, and let go on November 28.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct a mistake in the name of the Women’s Aid Organisation.
