Govt, police ordered to pay activists RM195,000 for wrongful arrests
The Kuala Lumpur High Court has ordered the Malaysian government and police to pay damages to 13 activists for wrongful arrest during a 2021 candlelight vigil. The judge ruled that the detention was unlawful and violated the activists' constitutional rights.
Why it matters
The ruling serves as a significant legal precedent regarding the right to peaceful assembly and the limits of police power during public health crises.
Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Anand Ponnudurai awarded each of the activists RM15,000 in damages.
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has ordered the government and police to pay a total of RM195,000 to 13 activists for wrongfully arresting them during a candlelight gathering five years ago.
The activists are Nur Qyira Izzat Yusri, Nalina Nair, M Thulsi Thivani, Loh Kar Mun, Noor Suhana Ishak, Dr Subatra Jayaraj, Tharmelinggem Pillai, P Ilaiya Barathi, Addy Samsudin, Dinesh Venkitesan, Khairi Zulfadhli Abu Bakar, Wong Yan Ke and Asraf Sharafi Azhar.
Justice Anand Ponnudurai awarded each of them RM15,000 in damages.
They were among those arrested during a candlelight vigil for those who died from Covid-19 at Dataran Merdeka on Aug 19, 2021.
They sued the police officers involved in the operation, the home ministry and the government for breaching their constitutional rights, and sought damages.
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