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Friday, 24 October 2008

Vwaishhnnavi and mum freed, 10 in court

P Vwaishhnnavi, the six-year-old niece of detained Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar, and her mother K Shanti were released today after spending a night at the Putrajaya police district headquarters.

Mother and daughter were with 10 others arrested yesterday when they attempted to submit a letter at the Prime Minister Department's office in Putrajaya, appealing for ISA detainees to be freed.

The duo were released late last night but they refused to leave the police station and stayed with the rest.

The remaining 10 were taken to the Kajang Magistrate's Court this morning where the police are expected to apply for further remand to facilitate their investigation.

Security was tight at the court complex, where six riot police FRU trucks as well as a water-cannon truck have been deployed. About 50 supporters and family members of those arrested have gathered outside the courthouse.

Journalists have also been barred from entering the court complex.

Police showed a document signed by Kajang magistrate Nurdiana Mohd Nazari stating that only the lawyer representing those arrested and their family members are allowed into the court.

Lawyer Amer Hamzah from the Bar Council's Human Rights Committee, who is acting on behalf of the 10, is currently in court arguing over the remand proceedings.

Police: Vwaishhnnavi not arrested

wahthamoorthy daughter memo 220108 w vwaishhnnavi

Vwaishhnnavi (left) is the daughter of Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy, who is currently in self-imposed exile in London.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Muhammad Sabtu Osman told Malaysiakini yesterday that eight men and three women were arrested during the incident.

He clarified that Vwaishhnnavi had not been arrested and was with her mother.

According to the police, those held are being investigated under the Societies Act following the Home Ministry's imposition of a ban on Hindraf on Oct 15, declaring it an illegal organisation.

Police Watch Malaysia coordinator S Jayathas, who was also held, claimed that they had been told that they were part of an illegal assembly for having gathered near the entrance of the building.

"We were trying to obtain permission from the security guards for Vwaishhnnavi to submit her letter. They said that we were from Hindraf, but we insisted that we were 'concerned Indians' who were accompanying Vwaishnnavi," Jayathas had said yesterday.-Malaysiakini

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