a) ISA DETENTION

2 more people have been detained without trial. Police spokesperson Ghazali Mohamad Amin was reported as saying these people were involved in activities that threaten national security. The names are as follows:

1. Abdul Malek Hussein, (details not known), detained on 25th Sept;
2. Zulkifli Nordin, lawyer, detained on 22nd Sept.

This brings the current total of ISA detainees to 17.

Some families have also been intimidated by police not to speak lawyers and NGOs. None of the families have been allowed to see the 17 men. Police also refused the families' request medical assistance for some of the men with health problems. For example Ruslan Kassim is diabetic and suffers from gout but the police stopped the family from sending medication.

b) POLICE VIOLENCE

Around 100 people were arrested on the evening, after the police attempted to disperse a demonstration of 4 000 people at Dataran Merdeka. However not all arrested were in the demonstration; there were 2 Pakistani tourists, bystanders and Tian Chua, a member of SUARAM and chairperson of the newly formed Gagasan Demokrasi Rakyat (Coalition for People's Democracy) who was monitoring the situation.

After observing the FRU chasing people towards KL's Central Market, Tian Chua stopped to speak to a local newspaper photographer. A couple of minutes later, he was apprehended by a plain-clothes policeman who threw him into a Federal Reserve Unit truck. Tian Chua and the others in the truck were verbally harrassed and brutally beaten by baton-wielding FRU men before they were taken to the police station. When taken into the police lockup, Tian Chua was punched and kicked in the stomach, legs and chest. At around 5:00 am, Tian Chua and several other people were released on police bail.

AFP reporter witnessed police using electric prods on this streets. He also witnessed a group of 10 FRU men using batons to beat a man who was already lying on the ground.

To date, we estimate that there are still 60 people detained for further questioning.

There has been increasing buildup of police forces in central Kuala Lumpur and other parts of the Selangor state since yesterday.

c) ANWAR ON TRIAL

Anwar Ibrahim was finally brought to court and charged 4 counts of unnatural sex and 3 counts of corruption, all of which he pleaded not guilty. This was the first time Anwar has been seen in public since he was detained on September 20. He has been denied access to his lawyers and his family all this while.

But the most horrendous sight greeted the lawyers and people present in court. Anwar had a swollen eye and visible bruises on his arm. He later appealed to the judge to protect him.

AFP, which was one of the few foreign news wire service reported Anwar saying the following:

"I was blindfolded and handcuffed. The moment I arrived at the lock-up, they took off the blinds and the cuffs but a few minutes later, they put it on again."

"I was boxed very hard on my lower jaw and left eye. I was also boxed on the right of my head and they hit me on the left side of my neck very hard."

"I was then slapped very hard left and right until blood came out from my nose and my lips cracked. Because of this, I could not see and walk properly."

"The impact on my neck is hard. I think they tried to send a clear message (for me) to behave and cooperate. They beating has stopped for now."

"I appeal to you to protect me because even in the police lock-up, I can be beaten up...You can see for yourself. After 10 days, it is still like this."

Anwar also said he was kept in a dark room and "moved to and fro from secret hideouts" but added adamantly that he was "more convinced we must change and fight. He was only allowed to see a doctor 5 days after his beatings.

Anwar was represented by a 9-man legal team led by famous human rights activist Raja Aziz Addruse. Anwar was also denied bail because he is detained under the Internal Security Act. He will be brought to another court in Petaling Jaya tomorrow to hear the rest of his charges. All charges are most likely to be moved to the High Court.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

SUARAM urges you to continue to protest and take immediate action by writing letters or faxing to the appropriate authorities. We suggest that you include the following demands:

• To immediately and unconditionally release all ISA detainees or charge them in court;
  To condemn the use of the ISA on legitimate expressions of dissent;
  
• To condemn and urge for the immediate halt in excessive use of police force which had resulted only in violence;
  
• To release all those arrested in the streets immediately or charge them immediately;
  
• To ensure that there will be no further political crackdown on supporters of the Reformation movement, opposition parties and NGO activists;
  
• (new) To condemn the use of force and intimidation on ISA detainees (reference: Anwar Ibrahim); To condemn police intimidation on family and friends of the detainees;
  
• (new) To ensure that all medical assistance will be made available to ISA detainees;
  
• (new) To urge that bail be given to Anwar Ibrahim for the duration of his trial.