A US-based committee of human rights lawyers has accused the home ministry of violating international human rights standards in an incident last week when two Internal Security Act detainees were allegedly assaulted by enforcement authorities.

In a letter dated May 13 to Home Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the New York-based Lawyers' Committee for Human Rights expressed concern over allegations that Tian Chua (photo) and Hishamuddin Rais were assaulted during a raid by security personnel at the Kamunting Detention Camp in Perak.

Campaigners outraged

The incident caused outrage among human rights and anti-ISA campaigners who denounced the action as a deliberate attempt by the government to justify a possible extension of the detainees' detention orders which expire next month.

"This incident suggests blatant violation of their right to be free from torture, and cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment, safeguarded by Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," said Human Rights Defenders project director Neil Hicks. This is a project of the Lawyers' Committee for Human Rights.

He said the government should allow an independent and public inquiry into the incident by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) to verify the details of the alleged assault, including the extent of medical treatment given to the duo.

"In addition, the government should publicly account for what mechanisms are in place to ensure the physical and psychological safety of the detainees at Kamunting. All personnel implicated in the assault must be prosecuted and, if responsible, punished," he said in the letter made available to the press.

Copies of the letter were also sent to Kamunting camp commander Abdul Basir Mohamad, the Malaysian Ambassador to the US Ghazzali Sheikh Abdul Khalid, and UN Special Representative o­n Human Rights Defenders Hina Jilani.

Anwar's appeal

Meanwhile, the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales also submitted two letters to government leaders here expressing concerns over the continued detention of five reformasi activists under the ISA, and the rejection of former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's appeal against a sodomy charge.

Committee chairperson Peter Carter said in a letter to Abdullah that the reformasi detainees should be released as the government has presented no evidence to substantiate allegations that the group had plotted to overthrow the government using militant means.

Carter also raised issue with the continued detention of the group despite a Federal Court ruling last September declaring their initial arrest illegal and two subsequent recommendations by the ISA review committee for their release.

"We are concerned at the fact that the review board's recommendations have not been acted o­n and that there is no transparency in the review process, particularly given the restrictions making further judicial review extremely difficult," said Carter.

"We believe this case raises fundamental questions regarding the use of the ISA and its compatibility with international human rights standards. We would welcome an assurance that the government proposes to reform the ISA so as to allow independent scrutiny by the courts."

Written judgment

In a separate letter addressed to Minister to the Prime Minister's Department Dr Rais Yatim, who is also de facto law minister, he said the legal committee was equally interested to know when the judgement for Anwar's appeal case would be made available.

The Bar committee chairperson said there were "grave concerns" over the court's rejection of the appeal in view of the "widespread perception that Anwar's trials were politically motivated and procedurally unfair".

"In the light of all these concerns about the conduct of Anwar Ibrahim's trials, we suggest that it is of vital importance that the reasoning of the Court of Appeal rejecting his appeal is transparent, clear and compelling," said Carter.

Anwar is serving a nine-year jail sentence for sodomy after the court upheld his conviction last month. The former deputy premier is awaiting the result of his bail application which is due to be heard at a later date.

He has also filed an appeal with the Federal Court, his last avenue to have his conviction overturned.