Tuesday, 16-Oct-2001 7:14 PM

DAP protests the inhumane treatment of ISA detainees

The Democratic Action Party (DAP) expressed its concern about the health and well being of the six political detainees who are now waging a "boycott prison food campaign" in the Kamunting Detention Centre.

In a press release today, DAP said, "The boycott was launched to protest against ill-treatment and violations, which include semi-solitary confinement of detainees (two in a block), poor prison food, breach of detainees' right to consult lawyers in private, denial of access to television and radio and proper newspapers, withheld letters and postcards addressed to detainees, infringe of the detainees' privacy by checking their personal letters and restriction of their reading materials."

The DAP added, "The health condition of the detainees is deteriorating according to the families of the detainees. Parti Keadilan Youth Chief Mohd Ezam is having a high uric acid count and would need a special diet. Tian Chua is suffering from severe asthma. Lokman Adam is suffering form high blood pressure. Saari Sungib and Hishamuddin Rais were down with severe migraine and had not seen a doctor. The families estimated that they lost between 2-9 kg within a week."

The DAP urged the authorities to immediately meet with the detainees and end their semi-solitary confinement and all other inhumane and ill treatment.

Full text of the press release can be read here.