BERSIH INQUIRY A youth who took part in the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9 says police kicked and beat him, sprayed his eyes four times with pepper spray and abused him verbally as well.

NONETestifying at the public inquiry being held by the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) today, Hanafi Hawari (right) said three or four police personnel  assaulted him.

Hanafi said he was in the vicinity of Maju Junction in Kuala Lumpur between noon and 1pm that day, and was wearing a Bersih 2.0 T-shirt, with another yellow T-shirt underneath.

When he and his friends tried to move on to Dataran Maybank, they were prevented from doing so by the police who had set up a road-block.

Describing the scene, Hanafi, 21, a college student, said there were about 2,500 people in the area.

"The police gave us three warnings, each one minute after the other, ordering us to disperse. A Federal Reserve Unit water-truck chased (the crowd) and sprayed chemical-laced water. There was not enough time to disperse.

“As I was leaving, I felt a sharp blow to the back of my head. As I was falling I felt several blows and kicks to my head and stomach (from people wearing boots).

“Three people, who I believe to be from the police, continued to assault me. My nose and mouth were bloodied and I was handcuffed when I was down."

Hanafi claimed that all the while, his assaulters called him "a traitor to the country" and "stupid" for taking part in the rally.

‘Police threatened to rape mother’

Answering hesitantly to questions from Malaysian Bar president Lim Chee Wee, the youth replied police had also threatened to “rape his mother for being a naughty boy”.

Lim had wanted to know the full extent of what the police said and Hanafi asked hesitantly “everything?”, to which Lim replied “everything”.

“They accused me of being a bad boy and threatened to rape my mother. I do not know the purpose of them saying that,” he said.

Hanafi said as his face was full of blood, and police noticed that there were media personnel present, they quickly took his other T-shirt and covered his face.

“I do not know why they did that, possibly to cover my face from being highlighted in the media,” he said.

He also said the police sprayed his eyes repeatedly with pepper spray as he was falling, and again when he was taken to a police truck after being handcuffed.

NONEPhotographs of his bruised eyes, face and nose were shown to the commissioners. The photographs were taken by his brother at a private clinic after he was not given medical treatment while in custody.

This is the second day of the inquiry before a three-member panel led by Suhakam deputy chairperson Khaw Lake Tee (left). The others are Professor Mahmood Zuhdi Ab Majid and Detta anak Samen.

The inquiry is to establish whether the police had used excessive force in dispersing the rally for electoral reform.

‘I did not attack or hit back’

Hanafi said upon his release at the Jinjang police station, his brother brought him to a clinic where his brother took the pictures.

“However the clinic referred me to Hospital Kuala Lumpur and there I was given treatment at between midnight and 1am on July 10. They placed the yellow lotion for the cuts and checked my bruised eyes and nose.

“Till today I am still feeling the after-effects, especially I felt my nose hurt as if it was fractured. But the doctors said it was only bruised,” he said.

Answering further questions from Lim, the youth said neither he nor the crowd attacked the policemen manning Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, but instead they were arrested when they were trying to disperse.

“I did not even attack them or hit back when they were kicking and punching me,” he told the inquiry.

Questioned by Assistant Commissioner of Police Jamaluddin Abdul Rahman, Hanafi said he merely wanted to participate in the rally to seek clean and fair elections.

He also told the inquiry that he took the Bersih T-shirt which was beside the road near the PAS office in Jalan Raja Laut.

“I saw one T-shirt wrapped in plastic and took it and wore it,” he said.


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