he three opposition politicians
and two activists were arrested in 2001 after an anti-government protest and
held for up to two years under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allowed
indefinite detention without trial.
Prime Minister Najib Razak
recently abolished the law in a move to gain votes ahead of elections due by
mid-2013, by granting greater civil liberties and appeasing critics who say the
legislation was abused to curb dissent.
A High Court ruled Tuesday the
group's detention was partially unlawful. It awarded 15,000 ringgit ($5,000)
per person for each day in police custody in addition to other damages, said
Hishamuddin Rais, an activist and plaintiff.
Those arrested under the ISA
were held by police for up to 60 days for interrogation before being
transferred to a detention camp.
The court also ruled that
police had defamed the group by implying they were involved in terrorism,
Hishamuddin said.
"The court has reaffirmed
our belief that the ISA is a law that has nothing to do with fighting
terrorism. It is a law that has been used to arrest the political opponents of
the ruling party," he told AFP.
Government lawyers could not
immediately be reached. They can appeal the verdict.
In 2010, another high court
awarded a Malaysian businessman 3.3 million ringgit in compensation, declaring
his three-year detention from 1991 under the ISA was unlawful and
unconstitutional.
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