Speaking at a press conference here today, several of the detainees’ family members described how their loved ones were beaten with plastic pipes, sticks, chairs and other objects on April 8.
They also claimed their private parts were sprayed with chilli oil, leaving the traumatised detainees fearful for their lives, with some even contemplating suicide.
Highlighting the death in custody of A Ganapathy, a 40-year-old cow milk trader who died at the Selayang Hospital on April 18, just over a month after he was warded, NGO leader Malaruvanan Devadass said he did not want to see history repeated.
The family members told the press that their loved ones were arrested in 2019 under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) after being suspected of being involved in organised crime.
“We don’t know what offences these 22 detainees committed. If they are guilty, they should be sentenced. But don’t torture them like this,” said Malaruvanan, the president of Pertubuhan Ilaya Thalaimurai Kuala Lumpur dan Selangor.
“We don’t want another case like Ganapathy’s. Prisons are a place for rehabilitation, and that’s what families want for their family members who are imprisoned— not to lose them forever.”
The 22 detainees were sent to the Jelebu prison to be quarantined after a court case last month, following which about half of them were moved to the Sungai Udang Prison in Melaka, where they recounted the tales of the abuse to their family members.
The remaining are still at the Jelebu Prison, with family members saying they are unable to get in touch with them.
Prince Jon, the vice-president of another NGO, Sebaran Kasih, said that he wanted the police to take action on the 10 police reports lodged by family members of the detainees, who alleged abuse, so as to protect their well-being behind bars.
“Indians are in the minority in Malaysia and they are being abused and mistreated in prison. But even though we are in the minority, we are still Malaysian citizens,” he said.
“We are not against the government, but we are against the abuse of power and the brutality of those in authority.
“We have our rights and we deserve to be treated the same as others. We don’t want another death in custody to happen to anyone. We know about Ganapathy and we want to do something before it’s too late.”
Ganapathy was arrested on Feb 24 to assist the police in an investigation involving one of his brothers. His mother previously said her son told her that he had been beaten with a rubber hose by the police.
While the post-mortem showed that he died of severe injuries to his legs, arms and shoulders, Gombak police chief Arifai Tarawe yesterday said there is no evidence that Ganapathy was beaten while in police custody.