The video camera, which was seized from a Malaysiakini journalist at a candlelight vigil on Sunday, will not be returned to the online news website until the police have completed their investigations.
According to the investigation officer at the Petaling Jaya police station, the investigations on the “illegal demonstration” was ongoing and the camera cannot be released.
This was despite that the police were told that they need not keep the camera as the tape should be sufficient enough for their investigation.
However, the police said they have to take a “look inside the camera”.
Syukri Mohamad, a videographer with Malaysiakini.tv, was arrested together with 23 others for allegedly participating in an illegal assembly in Petaling Jaya two days ago.
Also arrested were PJ parliamentarian Tony Pua, Selangor cabinet member Ronnie Liu and state assemblyperson Lau Weng San.
Syukri was wearing a Malaysiakini vest along with his press tag and was clearly not a participant at the event, held to mark the anniversary of last year's Bersih rally.
A year ago on Nov 10, about 40,000 marched to the Istana Negara to hand over a Bersih memorandum to the Agong calling for free and fair elections.
Syukri said that the police did not warn press photographers and videographers from taking shots of the crowd and the arrests.
"A uniformed policeman suddenly grabbed me by the waist and told me to either hand over the tape and my camera to him or to go to the police station.
"But before I could say anything, I was brought to the 'Black Maria'," said Syukri, referring to the police truck.
At the police station, the 28-year-old journalist was questioned three times and not once was he informed of the reason for his arrest and detention.
Syukri and 21 others were finally released seven hours later, at 7.15 am, but they were told to report back to the police station on Nov 24. No charges were filed against them yet.
Journalist ‘angered’ police chief
Meanwhile, another journalist was forced to give a statement when he apparently angered the Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar at a press conference the morning after the detainees were freed.
Rusnizam Mahat, a journalist for PKR organ Suara Keadilan, had repeatedly asked Khalid why the arrests were made in the midst of the protestors singing the national anthem, Negaraku.
Khalid had denied that the police made the arrest as the Negaraku was being sung despite video evidence to the contrary.
At the end of the press conference, Rusnizam was told to go to the police station’s interview room for his statement to be taken.
"Another officer asked me why I had gone to the demonstration and to the police station. After half an hour, I had to sign a statement and they released me," he told press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders.
Rusnizam said he witnessed police brutality at the event.
"I saw a police officer harassing one of my journalist colleagues while he was taking embarrassing photos exposing police violence," he said - malaysiakini.com
This makes me more and more SICK! You cannot question the police! If you question them, they will intimidate you! Accountability my ass! Resign! Resign! Resign!
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