So, after keeping them overnight, the police chose not to apply for further remand but rather release Jahabar and Ho on police bail...
See earlier post:-
Journalist Jahabar and Ho should not be held overnight? Rights of suspects and powers of police?
Jahabar Sadiq of MI arrested for Sedition? No need for an arrest or remand if just investigating?
But, it looks like they may have to buy NEW handphones and laptops - This is certainly harassment in my opinion. Police could simply have kept the hard drives and returned the computers - then they would have only had to expend money getting new hard drives installed.
However, items confiscated from the portal’s office in Mutiara Damansara, which include mobile phones and laptops, would not be returned.
It was odd too that in the Star report this was mentioned... that after they were released at 10.30am, they were taken by the police to have their statements recorded. So, what were they doing with Jahabar and Ho since they were arrested - not recording statements? What then were they doing with both of these journalist? Allowing them to experience life in a lock-up?
City CID chief Senior Asst Comm Zainuddin Ahmad said the duo were released at 10.30am before being taken to the Dang Wangi police headquarters to have their statements recorded.
Cops
free Ho and Jahabar
KUALA LUMPUR: The Edge
publisher Ho Kay Tat and The Malaysian Insider’s chief executive officer
Jahabar Sadiq have been released on police bail.
City CID chief Senior Asst Comm
Zainuddin Ahmad said the duo were released at 10.30am before being taken to the
Dang Wangi police headquarters to have their statements recorded.
He said the case is still being
investigated by the Bukit Aman Classified Crimes Unit (D5).
“We are waiting for further
instructions from the Attorney-General’s Chambers,” said SAC Zainuddin.
However, items confiscated from the
portal’s office in Mutiara Damansara, which include mobile phones and laptops,
would not be returned.
City deputy police chief Deputy Comm
Datuk Law Hong Soon said the police were going by the rule of law with regard
to the seizure of the electronics items.
“They were confiscated to help in
our investigations. If they can be used as evidence in court, we will not be
returning them.
“That’s the legal process,” he
added.
Ho and Jahabar were detained on
Tuesday under the Sedition Act over an article published by The Malaysian
Insider (TMI) last week.
According to the article, the
Conference of Rulers had reportedly rejected proposed amendments to the Syariah
Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 during a meeting on March 11.
The article, which quoted sources,
claimed that the rejection of the amendments to the federal Act was made at a
meeting attended by all Malay Rulers or their representatives.
However, the Keeper of the Rulers’
Seal Datuk Seri Syed Danial Syed Ahmad denied issuing any statement on hudud in
Kelantan and had lodged a police report.
Ho said the police and Malaysian
Communication and Multimedia Commission officers had treated him and Jahabar
well.
Jahabar, who exited the station at
12.35pm, was all smiles upon spotting journalists camped outside.
“They took our statements very
professionally. I have to thank the police for being very kind. I still don’t
know why they arrested us under the Sedition Act,” he said.
Among those present at the Dang
Wangi police headquarters to support the duo were former Bar Council president
Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, DAP national publicity chief Tony Pua and former law
minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim.
Ambiga condemned the arrests, saying
that the police action was wrong.
“I don’t think that they should have
been arrested, I do not think they should have been handcuffed,” she said.
Centre for Political Awareness head
Datuk Huan Cheng Guan however defended the arrests, saying that TMI must take
responsibility for its mischievous habit of spinning information.“The arrest
has nothing to do with stifling freedom of speech or scaring journalists to toe
the line.
“No one is above the law. You break
the law, face the music,” he said in a statement.
Huan said action had to be taken
because TMI “reported an untruth and made it seem like it happened” and refused
to amend the article which is still on the portal’s website.
Pua said the arrests were political
in nature and that the police had earlier targeted politicians before moving on
to activists.
“It’s quite clear now that they are
moving on to the media.
“They are trying to shut down the
channels where the critics are able to convey their messages to the public,” he
said.
Zaid said that the arrests were
unnecessary and was a form of harassment.
“If you make a mistake, you can
always rectify the mistake,” he said.
Youth and Sports Minister Khairy
Jamaluddin said the police had to be “given the opportunity” to investigate the
matter.
He said it would be best if the
matter was left to the police to handle. - Star, 2/4/2015
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