PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang today sought a guanrantee from the police that Bersih protesters who turn themselves in will not be harmed.

In a statement issued today, he said this is the real fear for those whose photographs have been released in the wanted list, following police heavy-handedness on April 28.

“We accept that the police have powers of arrest... but assaulting those who assemble, especially when they are dispersing, is wrong and very cruel.

NONE“How could the protesters who are now called to surrender know that they will not once again face brutality and assault during investigation?” he asked.

Hadi’s statement comes after police released the last batch of photographs of protesters wanted for alleged violence during the Bersih 3.0 rally, which appear to consist mostly of PAS Unit Amal members.

The photographs of 25 individuals, all in maroon which is the Unit Amal uniform, make up a total of 141 photographs released by the police since the rally.

According Hadi, who is also Marang member of parliament, it is “common knowlege” that many involved in the Bersih 3.0 rally were “ill-treated and injured” by “police brutality”.

“Police had handcuffed them, punched and kicked them repeatedly and dragged them when they were trying to disperse,” he said. 

Yet, he observed, only protesters have been asked to surrender and no photographs of police personnel have been included in the ‘wanted list’.

“It’s unfortunate that the order to surrender was only made for protesters while the handful of police personnel who had acted beyond the bounds of the law are let off just like that,” he said.