KAJANG, June 24 — Civil rights activists have expressed their concern over lawyer Siti Kasim’s arrest last night, questioning the police procedure which led to the incident that saw her house broken into.
Some 15 people from the legal profession and human rights groups gathered at the Kajang Court Complex, ahead of Siti’s remand hearing following a confrontation with the police who attempted to take her client Anis Nur Izzaty Ruslan into custody.
“I am surprised that in this ‘New Malaysia’ we are still facing problems like this.
“The arrest of Siti who is both a lawyer and an officer of the court is in my view wholly unjustified,” National Human Rights Society president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan told Malay Mail.
Ambiga said the police had no business treating the lawyer, who has worked in many human rights cases, like a common criminal.
“The whole episode calls out for some transparency in the way which such cases are handled. This really should not be happening any more,” she added.
Also present were Petaling Jaya MP and former Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah, and women’s rights activist Ivy Josiah.
“This originated with the case of a mother being abusive, which could have been settled differently,” Maria said.
“This is a total misuse of power by the police, when they smashed her front door to enter her home. Instead they could have asked Siti to bring Anis to a police station to explain.”
Maria said this further highlighted the need to bring back the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) so as to ensure good governance.
“With the IPCMC there can be efforts to reduce the abuse of police power. We really need to ensure they act in respect to human rights,” she said.
Former Women’s Aid Organisation executive director Ivy Josiah said she is also concerned for Anis, and her rights as an abuse victim should she seek help from other parties.
“In my experience it is common for perpetrators to allege their victims were kidnapped.
“If victims are subjected to this kind of treatment, even I would hesitate to come out,” she said, adding that the approach of arrest first and investigate later should stop.
Anis, who has since sought help and is now in a safe location, had been staying with Siti since Thursday.
Earlier that same day, the lawyer had gone to Hospital Kajang to assist Anis, where she had been taken by the police after she was accused by her mother of being mentally unstable.
