Qyira Yusri, 29, claimed that when the policemen approached them at Dataran Merdeka on the evening of Aug 19, they were shouted at and forcibly taken into a Black Maria truck.

“That night, the police yelled at us to produce our identification cards. When we repeatedly asked if we were under arrest, they said we were not and that they only needed our documents for record purposes.

“Then they ordered us into the truck. When I questioned their instructions, they dragged me inside by pulling my shoulder,” she said during cross-examination.

Earlier, Qyira disagreed when senior federal counsel Siti Aishah Ramlan suggested that the police had not used force on her.

Qyira is among 13 vigil participants suing the government, the home ministry, the inspector-general of police, the Royal Malaysia Police and 18 police officers.

They accuse the defendants of false imprisonment, assault and battery, breach of constitutional rights, breach of statutory duties and malfeasance in public office.

The lawsuit, filed in December 2021, seeks a declaration that their arrests were unlawful and claims general damages, to be assessed by the court.

Another plaintiff, R Nalina Nair, 36, testified that police officers forcibly dragged her into the truck.

“Two officers dragged me inside while others shouted at us.

“There was no need to force us to go to the police station since they themselves said we were not under arrest,” she said during examination by lawyer Kee Hui Yi, when asked to elaborate on the alleged mistreatment.

Addy Samsudin, 34, claimed that lawyers were barred from meeting them when they were taken to the Dang Wangi police station at around 8.30pm and that their statements were recorded without legal representation.

“We were not allowed to leave the station or contact our lawyers until the statement-recording process was completed.

“If they only wanted to record a statement, I could have come the next day. Instead, they held us until 1am without access to our lawyers or phones,” he said.

Aishah suggested that lawyers were not permitted to meet the detainees because they could not identify their clients, to which Addy replied: “(I’m) not sure.”

The proceedings before Judicial Commissioner Yeo Soon Chye will continue tomorrow.

Previously, the media reported that more than 16 individuals were arrested for holding the vigil to honour the 13,385 people who died from Covid-19.

They were investigated for gathering without notice and for breaching Covid-19 restrictions, and each person was fined RM2,000.