Charles Hector dari Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture, berkata satu daripada kematian itu didakwa berlaku disebabkan Covid-19.

Inkues mesti dilaksanakan bagi memastikan sama ada berlakunya sebarang pengabaian oleh pihak berkuasa dalam memantau dan mengekang penularan wabak itu dalam kalangan tahanan, di depot tahanan imigresen.

“Apabila tahanan berada dalam kemudahan tahanan kerajaan maut akibat Covid-19, kerajaan, menteri dalam negeri, ketua pengarah imigresen dan pihak berkuasa berkaitan di kemudahan tahanan imigresen mungkin bertanggungjawab secara jenayah akibat kematian itu,” katanya.

“Adakah dibuat pengesanan suhu secara kerap, pengesanana dan pemeriksaan kesihatan dilakukan di depot imigresen? Kematian tahanan yang meninggal dunia di pusat tahanan, bukan di hospital untuk menerima rawatan perubatan menimbulkan tanda tanya,” katanya dalam kenyataan.

Minggu lalu, lebih 500 tahanan Rohingya lolos selepas melarikan diri dari depot tahanan, di Bandar Baharu, Kedah. Enam daripada maut selepas dilanggar kereta ketika cuba melintas, dalam kejadian di Lebuh Raya Utara Selatan.

Seorang lagi tahanan dilaporkan meninggal dunia, pada Rabu, kesan kecederaan dalam insiden kemalangan sama.

Semalam, Ketua Polis Kedah Wan Hassan Wan Ahmad, mengesahkan seorang tahanan meninggal dunia di depot imigresen, minggu lalu. Beliau berkata, kes diklasifikasikan sebagai mati mengejut kerana Covid-19.

Hector berkata, sekiranya pihak berkuasa gagal dalam memastikan tahanan tidak dijangkiti virus, termasuk tidak mengenal pasti punca jangkitan atau menyediakan penjagaan kesihatan segera, ia mencadangkan mereka bertanggungjawab secara jenayah dalam kematian itu.

“Koroner tidak boleh secara mudah dan membuta tuli menerima klasifikasi polis berhubung kematian sebagai mati mengejut dan perlu dilakukan inkues terhadap kematian dalam tahanan yang didakwa berpunca daripada Covid-19, termasuk kematian tujuh lagi susulan kemalangan,” katanya. - FMT, MSN

Kenyataan Media – 29/4/2022 (Terjemahan Bahasa Malaysia kasar)

Kesunyian Koroner mengenai 8 kematian berikutan insiden Depot Tahanan Imigresen Sungai Bakap mengganggu Kematian tahanan di kemudahan tahanan kerana Covid boleh menyebabkan kerajaan bertanggungjawab secara jenayah - MADPET (Malaysian Against Death Penalty and Torture) prihatin terhadap sikap Koroner berdiam diri mengenai 8 kematian baru-baru ini, termasuk seorang yang didakwa meninggal dunia akibat Covid-19. Koroner mesti menyatakan sama ada dia telah memutuskan untuk mengadakan inkues atau sebaliknya. 

Kematian akibat Covid di kemudahan tahanan boleh meletakkan liabiliti jenayah kepada kerajaan, kemudahan Komandan Tahanan, Menteri dan pegawai awam lain yang berkaitan. Kira-kira jam 4 pagi Rabu lalu (20/4/2022), seramai 528 tahanan Rohingya terdiri daripada lelaki, wanita dan kanak-kanak melarikan diri atau keluar dari Depoh Tahanan Imigresen Sungai Bakap di Pulau Pinang. 7, termasuk 3 kanak-kanak, maut dirempuh sebuah kereta ketika melintasi Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan di Kilometer 168. Yang ketujuh – seorang gadis berusia 14 tahun – meninggal dunia akibat kecederaannya semalam (NST, 27/4/2022). 

Seorang lagi meninggal dunia, didakwa polis kerana Covid-19. Ketua Polis Kedah Pesuruhjaya Wan Hassan Wan Ahmad dilaporkan berkata, bahawa ‘…Polis telah menolak perbuatan jahat di sebalik kematian seorang tahanan Rohingya di Depoh Tahanan Imigresen Sementara dekat Bandar Baharu Rabu lepas. "Kematian tahanan adalah perkara yang berasingan. Kami telah mengklasifikasikan kes itu di bawah kes laporan kematian mengejut (SDR). Dia telah meninggal dunia akibat jangkitan virus selepas dijangkiti Covid-19," kata Wan Hassan kepada pemberita…(New Straits Times, 28/4) /2022).Nampaknya tahanan itu meninggal dunia di depoh, bukan di beberapa hospital tempat dia dimasukkan untuk rawatan. 

Apabila tahanan berada di kemudahan tahanan kerajaan meninggal dunia akibat Covid, kerajaan termasuk Menteri Dalam Negeri, Ketua Pengarah Imigresen dan Komandan kemudahan Tahanan Imigresen mungkin terlibat secara jenayah atau bertanggungjawab atas kematian tersebut. 

Tidak seperti orang yang tidak dalam tahanan, yang bebas melakukan perkara yang perlu termasuk pematuhan Prosedur Operasi Standard (SOP) untuk mengelakkan dijangkiti oleh Covid-19, yang termasuk melakukan ujian diri yang diperlukan dan mendapatkan penjagaan kesihatan yang diperlukan, seseorang yang ditahan dinafikan. kebanyakan kebebasan ini, dan kewajipan untuk membebaskan tahanan daripada dijangkiti Covid, dan juga mendapatkan penjagaan kesihatan yang diperlukan, secara munasabah terletak pada pihak berkuasa yang menahan. 

Sudah lebih 2 tahun sejak Malaysia terjejas oleh Covid-19, dan persoalannya ialah sama ada pihak berkuasa yang berkaitan memastikan tahanan di fasiliti kerajaan mematuhi SOP untuk mencegah jangkitan, mengesan jangkitan dan menyediakan penjagaan kesihatan segera yang diperlukan. jika didapati dijangkiti. Adakah pemeriksaan suhu biasa, ujian Covid dan pemeriksaan kesihatan dilakukan di Depoh Tahanan Imigresen Sungai Bakap? Hakikat bahawa tahanan itu mati dalam tahanan, bukan di beberapa hospital semasa menerima rawatan perubatan yang diperlukan menimbulkan persoalan? 

Koroner sepatutnya menentukan juga 'sama ada mana-mana orang terlibat secara jenayah dalam punca kematian' (Seksyen 337 Kanun Prosedur Jenayah/CPC). 

Liabiliti jenayah timbul bukan semata-mata kerana tindakan, tetapi juga peninggalan. Kegagalan untuk memastikan tahanan di kemudahan tahanan tidak dijangkiti oleh Covid-19, kegagalan untuk mengesan jangkitan di kalangan tahanan dan/atau kegagalan untuk memberikan penjagaan kesihatan yang cepat kepada yang dijangkiti adalah kemungkinan sebab mengapa kerajaan dan/atau orang lain yang bertanggungjawab mungkin didapati bertanggungjawab secara jenayah dan/atau bimbang dengan kematian itu. 

Koroner mesti segera mengadakan INKUES(atau siasatan kematian) ke atas kematian ini dalam tahanan yang didakwa disebabkan oleh Covid-19, dan juga 7 kematian lain yang disebabkan oleh sebab didakwa insiden dilanggar kenderaan. 

Kini, undang-undang terpakai adalah Arahan Amalan Ketua Hakim Negara Malaysia, yang dikeluarkanTan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Richard Malanjum [Arahan Amalan Bil 2 Tahun 2019, Pengendalian Laporan Mati Mengejut Dan Siasatan Kematian Oleh Mahkamah Sesyen Koroner] di mana penekanan diberikan bahawa kes yang dikatakan kes kematian mengejut ('sudden death' mesti disiasat oleh Koroner, dan, jika perlu, ia harus diklasifikasikan semula sebagai kes yang memerlukan inkues, atau kes kematian dalam tahanan. Koroner tidak sepatutnya menerima klasifikasi polis bahawa ianya  'kematian mengejut' dengan mudah atau buta. 

Kesemua 8 kematian yang berlaku, pada pandangan MADPET, adalah kematian dalam tahanan. 

Kini Koroner di Malaysia, kini Hakim Mahkamah Sesyen, bertanggungjawab untuk menentukan punca kematian semua kematian di Malaysia, dengan atau tanpa inkues. Seksyen 334 CPC menekankan semula keperluan untuk inkues bagi semua kematian dalam tahanan, dan ini termasuk kematian orang yang berada dalam tahanan di Depoh Tahanan Imigresen Sungai Bakap. 

Adakah pegawai/pihak berkuasa yang berkenaan mematuhi undang-undang, dan segera memaklumkan kepada Koroner tentang kematian – ‘… hendaklah dengan serta-merta memberi maklumat tentang kematian tersebut kepada Majistret terdekat, dan Majistret tersebut atau Majistret lain hendaklah, dalam kes kematian dalam jagaan polis, dan dalam kes dalam jagaan lain boleh, jika difikirkannya sesuai, mengadakan siasatan tentang punca kematian…’.(s.334) 

Sementara perhatian umum kini tertumpu kepada kes Sam Ke Ting yang baru-baru ini dijatuhi hukuman penjara enam tahun kerana memandu secara melulu atau berbahaya, mengakibatkan kematian lapan remaja yang menunggang basikal di jalan raya. Mahkamah Tinggi membenarkan rayuan yang membatalkan keputusan Mahkamah Majistret untuk membebaskan dan membebaskan wanita berusia 27 tahun itu pada Oktober 2021 lalu. Adakah pemandu kereta yang menyebabkan kematian 7 orang yang 'melarikan diri' daripada Imigresen kemudahan tahanan dikenakan tindakan yang sama? 

Apakah bantahan atau rungutan tahanan Depoh Tahanan Imigresen Sungai Bakap yang menyebabkan mereka melarikan diri dari tahanan? Adakah ia hanya satu 'rusuhan' atau pelaksanaan hak untuk berhimpun secara aman yang menyebabkan 500 lebih ini melarikan diri? Adakah terdapat keperluan untuk siasatan bebas oleh Suruhanjaya Siasatan Diraja, Jawatankuasa Parlimen, SUHAKAM (Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia Malaysia), EAIC (Suruhanjaya Integriti Agensi Penguatkuasaan) atau badan bebas lain. 

MADPET menggesa siasatan awam bebas dijalankan ke atas insiden di Depoh Tahanan Imigresen Sungai Bakap yang sehingga kini telah mengakibatkan sekurang-kurangnya 8 kematian. 

MADPET meminta laporan Koroner mengenai penemuannya, termasuk sama ada inkues awam akan dilakukan. Jika kerajaan dan/atau orang yang berkaitan bertanggungjawab secara jenayah ke atas kematian tersebut, tindakan termasuk pendakwaan jenayah mesti diambil tanpa rasa takut atau pilih kasih, dan tanpa diskriminasi saperti yang dinyatakan dalam Perkara 8(1) Perlembagaan Persekutuan, 'Semua orang adalah sama di sisi undang-undang. dan berhak mendapat perlindungan undang-undang yang sama rata.' 

MADPET juga mengulangi gesaan untuk penggubalan undang-undang yang mengiktiraf dengan jelas pencari suaka dan/atau pelarian, kerana undang-undang semasa hanya mengiktiraf warga asing di Malaysia dengan dokumentasi yang betul dan mereka yang tidak. Oleh yang demikian, pencari suaka dan/atau pelarian mungkin dilayan sama seperti mana-mana warga asing yang ditemui di Malaysia tanpa dokumentasi, dan ini tidak adil. 

Charles Hector 

Untuk dan bagi pihak MADPET(Malaysian Against Death Penalty and Torture) 

Media Statement – 29/4/2022 (Original)

Silence of the Coroner about the 8 deaths following the Sungai Bakap Immigration Detention Depot incident disturbing

Death of detainee at detention facility by reason of Covid may make government criminally liable -

MADPET (Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture) is concerned about the silence of the Coroner on the recent 8 deaths, including one that allegedly died by reason of Covid-19. The Coroner must state whether he/she has decided to have an inquest or otherwise. Death by reason of Covid in a detention facility may place criminal liability on the government, Commandant of Detention facility, Minister and other relevant public officers.

At about 4am last Wednesday(20/4/2022), 528 Rohingya detainees, being men, women and children, escaped or broke out  from the Sungai Bakap Immigration Detention Depot in Penang. 7, including 3 children, were killed when hit by a car while crossing the North-South Expressway at Kilometer 168. The seventh – a 14-year-old girl – succumbed to her injuries yesterday (NST, 27/4/2022).

Another died, allegedly because of Covid-19. Kedah police chief Commissioner Wan Hassan Wan Ahmad was reported saying, that the ‘…Police have ruled out foul play behind the death of a Rohingya detainee at the Temporary Immigration Detention Depot near Bandar Baharu last Wednesday. "The detainee's death was a separate matter. We have classified the case under a sudden death report (SDR) case. He had died from virus infection after contracting Covid-19," Wan Hassan told reporters…(New Straits Times, 28/4/2022). It looks like the detainee died at the depot, not at some hospital where he was admitted for treatment.

When a detainee is in a government detention facility dies by reason of Covid, the government including the Minister of Home Affairs, Director General of Immigration and the Commandant of the Immigration Detention facility may be criminally concerned or liable for the death.

Unlike a person not under detention, who can freely do the needful including compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to prevent being infected by Covid-19, which include doing the needed self-tests and seeking necessary healthcare, a person under detention is denied many of these freedoms, and the duty to keep free a detainee from being infected by Covid, and also getting the needed healthcare, reasonably falls on the detaining authority.

It has been more than 2 years since Malaysia been affected by Covid-19, and the question is whether the relevant authorities are making sure that detainees in government facilities are complying with the SOPs to prevent infection, detect infections and provision of the necessary speedy healthcare if found to be infected. Were there regular temperature checks, Covid testing and medical check-ups done at the Sungai Bakap Immigration Detention Depot? The fact that the detainee died in detention, not in some hospital whilst receiving necessary medical attention raises questions?

The Coroner is supposed to determine also ‘whether any person is criminally concerned in the cause of the death’ (Section 337 Criminal Procedure Code/CPC).

Criminal liability arises not simply by reason of actions, but also omissions. The failure to ensure detainees in a detention facility are not infected by Covid-19, the failure to detect infection amongst detainees and/or the failure to provide speedy healthcare to the infected are possible reasons why the government and/or other responsible persons may be found criminally liable and/or concerned with the death.

The Coroner must forthwith have an INQUEST(or inquiry into deaths) into this death in custody allegedly by reason of Covid-19, and also the other 7 deaths that resulted by reason of allegedly a vehicular incident.

In the currently applicable Practice Direction issued by the then Chief Justice of Malaysia Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Richard Malanjum [Arahan Amalan Bil 2 Tahun 2019, Pengendalian Laporan Mati Mengejut Dan Siasatan Kematian Oleh Mahkamah Sesyen Koroner] it was emphasized that cases classified as ‘sudden deaths’ must be investigated by the Coroner, and, if need be, it should be reclassified as a case requiring inquest, or a death in custody case. The Coroner ought not simply or blindly accept police classification of ‘sudden deaths’.

All 8 deaths that happened, in MADPET’s view, are deaths in custody.

Noting that whilst the Coroner in Malaysia, now a Sessions Court Judge, is duty bound to determine the cause of death of all deaths in Malaysia, with or without an inquest. Section 334 CPC re-emphasizes the need for an inquest for deaths in custody, and this includes deaths of persons who were in custody at the Sungai Bakap Immigration Detention Depot.

Did the relevant officers/authorities adhere to the law, and immediately informed the Coroner of the deaths – ‘…shall immediately give intimation of such death to the nearest Magistrate, and the Magistrate or some other Magistrate shall, in the case of a death in the custody of the police, and in other cases may, if he thinks expedient, hold an inquiry into the cause of death…’.(s.334)

While public attention is now on the case of Sam Ke Ting who was recently sentenced to six years in prison for reckless or dangerous driving, resulting in the death into eight teenagers riding their bicycles on a road. The High Court allowed the appeal overturning the Magistrate’s Court decision to acquit and discharge the 27-year-old woman last October 2021. Will the driver/s of the car/s that caused the death of the 7 that ‘escaped’ from the Immigration detention facility be similarly charged?

What was the protest or grievance of the detainees the Sungai Bakap Immigration Detention Depot that led them to run away from detention? Was it simply a ‘riot’ or an exercise of the right to peaceful assembly that led these 500 plus to escape? Is there a need for an independent inquiry by a Royal Commission of Inquiry, a Parliamentary Committee, SUHAKAM(Malaysia’s Human Rights Commission), EAIC(Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission) or some other independent body. MADPET calls for an independent public inquiry into the incident at Sungai Bakap Immigration Detention Depot that to date has resulted in at least 8 deaths.

MADPET calls for a report by the Coroner as to his/her findings, including as to whether a public inquest will be done. If the government and/or relevant persons are criminally liable for the deaths, action including criminal prosecution must be taken without fear or favour, and indiscriminately as stated in Article 8(1) of the Federal Constitution, ‘All persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law.’

MADPET also reiterates the call for enacting of a law that clearly recognizes the asylum seeker and/or refugees, as current law only recognizes foreigners in Malaysia with the proper documentation and those without. As such, asylum seekers and/or refugees may be treated the same as any foreigners found in Malaysia without proper documentation, and this is not just.

 

Charles Hector

For and on behalf of MADPET(Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture)

Probe Rohingya deaths to see if authorities are liable, says activist

FMT Reporters
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More than 500 Rohingya detainees broke out of an immigration depot last week. Most of them have been recaptured.

PETALING JAYA: A coroner’s report into the death of eight Rohingya refugees must be released and an inquest held to determine if the authorities are criminally liable, a human rights organisation said today.

Charles Hector of Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture said one of the deaths was allegedly due to Covid-19.

An inquest must be conducted to determine if there was any negligence by the authorities in monitoring and preventing the spread of the virus among detainees at immigration depots.

“When a detainee in a government detention facility dies of Covid-19, the government, home affairs minister, immigration director-general and the authorities at immigration detention facilities may be criminally liable for the death,” he said.

“Were there regular temperature checks, testing and medical check-ups done at the immigration depots? The fact that the detainee died in detention, not in some hospital while receiving necessary medical attention raises questions,” he said in a statement.

Last week, more than 500 Rohingya detainees escaped and fled an immigration detention depot in Bandar Baharu, Kedah. Six of them died after they were hit by a car while crossing the North-South Expressway.

Another detainee was reported to have died on Wednesday from injuries caused in the same crash.

Yesterday, Kedah police chief Wan Hassan Wan Ahmad confirmed that one more detainee died at the immigration depot last week. He said it was classified as sudden death after the detainee contracted Covid-19.

Hector said if the authorities had failed to ensure detainees are not infected by the virus, detect the spread of the infection or provide speedy healthcare to the infected, it could suggest they were criminally liable in the death.

“The coroner must not simply or blindly accept police classification of sudden deaths and must have an inquest into this death in custody allegedly due to Covid-19 as well as the other seven deaths as a result of the car accident,” he said. - FMT, 29/4/2022

See earlier posts:-

8 deaths Sungai Bakap Immigration Detention Depot incident - Coroner's silence? Government's criminal liability?