Press Statement from GMI (Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA): Four More Released but Conditionally

Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA

28 December 2007

Press Statement: Four More Released but Conditionally

Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI) has been informed that four (4) Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees, who were allegedly JI members, have been released conditionally under Restrictive Residence Act (1933) on 19 December 2007. They were detained for more than four years since 2002.

The four men are Bakkery bin Mahhamud (Sent to Kamunting Detention Centre (KDC) on 2 Dec 2002); Mohd Zamri bin Sukirman (Sent to KDC on 31 Dec 2002); Sabri bin Jaafar (Sent to KDC on 31 Dec 2002); Zamzuri bin Sukirman (Sent to KDC on 16 Jan 2003).

GMI welcomes their release, which must be attributed to the public's consistent and persistent campaign to call for them to be freed.

However, GMI is concerned by the conditional and selective release of the ISA detainees. There are scores of detainees who are still being detained in the Kamunting Detention Camp, for the same allegations as those who were released. None of them has been tried in a court of law, but sentenced by the Internal Security Minister to indefinite detention without trial.

The draconian ISA allows for the arrest and detention for an indefinite period of any person suspected of being likely to commit an act deemed 'dangerous to national security'. The Malaysian government has constantly used the ISA, both in the past and present, for its own political purposes to detain thousands of citizens, including political opposition leaders, academics and trade unionists as well as religious, social, environmental and women's rights activists.

GMI calls on the Internal Security Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to immediately release all those who have been detained in Kamunting or bring to them to trial in an open court.

GMI reiterates that the Government should look into recommendation by the Royal Commission on the Police to repeal Restrictive Residence Act (1933) and to abolish the practice of detention without trial, which contradicts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 5 of our Federal Constitution.

Abolish ISA!

Release all ISA detainees!

Close down Kamunting Detention Camp!

Released By,

Nalini.E
Secretariat GMI