The Hindu : Front Page : Hindraf: hearing on January 24

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 27, 2007
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Hindraf: hearing on January 24

P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE: The High Court in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday set January 24 for hearing a batch of habeas corpus petitions filed for the release of five leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) from detention under Malaysia’s tough Internal Security Act (ISA).

The five detained on December 13 without charges and trial are P. Uthayakumar, M. Manoharan, V. Ganapati Rao, R. Kengadharan, and Vasanthakumar.

Each of them was served a two-year detention order, issued by Prime Minister and Internal Security Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in terms of Section 8 of the ISA. As a result, the detainees were not subjected to the two-stage process of police investigations during a 60-day initial period of detention and follow-up two-year detention only if warranted by this probe.

Although, in line with the ISA-related practice, no formal charges were laid, they were, before their detention, accused of “fanning racial hatred and posing a threat to national security.” They had, in defiance of a court order, organised a mass rally in Kuala Lumpur on November 25 to focus international attention on the alleged “marginalisation” of the ethnic Indian minority in Muslim-majority Malaysia.

Karpal Singh, a leader of the multiracial Opposition Democratic Action Party and lead-counsel for these ISA-detainees, is also seeking their production in court.

Hindraf Coordinator Thanenthiran, who was permitted to meet Mr. Uthayakumar at the ISA Detention Centre a few days ago, reported that he was doing well and not subjected to any harsh treatment.

Counter-affidavits

Over the telephone from Kuala Lumpur, Mr. Thanenthiran and Mr. Rao’s brother, V. Rayudu, said the Attorney-General had sought time to prepare counter-affidavits and hence the hearing date had been fixed for next month.

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