PETALING JAYA: Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) has criticised the police for investigating three lawyers representing the family of Noorizwan Zulkefly, who died on Oct 1 while in police custody.
LFL director Rania Aljunied said the NGO's lawyers Latheefa Koya, N Surendran and Dina Zamri were summoned to the Petaling Jaya police headquarters yesterday to have their statements recorded over allegations of criminal intimidation linked to the disclosure of Noorizwan’s autopsy photographs.
The autopsy reportedly found 21 serious injuries, including generalised brain haemorrhage, internal abdominal bleeding and extensive swelling from his skull to the soles of his feet.
Rania said the lawyers were questioned for more than three hours in an investigation centred on the lawyers’ and the family’s visit to Hospital Canselor Tunku Mukhriz UKM’s pathology unit to seek clarification on the autopsy findings and view photographs of Noorizwan’s injuries.
“Since when is this a criminal offence in Malaysia?” she asked in a statement.
“Acting for a family in a death in custody case necessarily means scrutinising police conduct, questioning official accounts and pressing for the preservation and disclosure of evidence. The police cannot expect the family’s lawyers to accept their version without question.
“This unlawful investigation against the lawyers sends a dangerous message ... that seeking answers about a death in custody may expose them and their lawyers to criminal investigation.”
When contacted, Petaling Jaya police chief Shamsudin Mamat confirmed the investigation and said the probe was being handled by officials from the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters.
In the statement, Rania said two senior Bukit Aman officers had also been present when the family and lawyers requested an explanation of the injuries and to view the photographs, which the pathologist agreed to show them.
She said access to the photographs was necessary for the family to understand the extent of Noorizwan’s injuries, adding that their disclosure had brought details of the case to public attention.
Rania accused the police of failing to explain Noorizwan’s injuries or arrest and charge any police officer over his death and instead were devoting resources to investigate the lawyers appointed by his family.
She said the probe had caused further emotional distress to the family and questioned how they could seek justice if their lawyers were subjected to investigation and intimidation.
Rania called on Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail to halt the investigation and publicly confirm that no further action would be taken against the lawyers for their representation of the family or demands for accountability.
She also urged home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to affirm that families and lawyers pursuing justice in deaths in custody cases would not face harassment or reprisals.
Noorizwan was arrested on Sept 20 and held at the Cheras police headquarters for 11 days without his family’s knowledge before being taken to Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM on Sept 30. He was pronounced dead on Oct 1.
His family has rejected claims by the Kuala Lumpur police chief that his arrest and detention were conducted in accordance with standard operating procedures.
On Oct 12, a senior forensic pathologist at the hospital reportedly confirmed to the family and their legal team that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.