Police break up student protest

Police break up student protest

MALAYSIA: Some 250 Malaysian students participated in a rare
protest march on Friday in support of seven university students
charged over their involvement in an illegal gathering two years
ago.

Badaruddin Ismail, an activist with human rights group, the
Voice of the Malaysian People said that police broke up the march
and arrested Shahrir Mahmood, who was leading the peaceful march
to the court building, after Friday (Muslim) prayers.

Badaruddin said Shahrir was handcuffed and taken to the nearby
Dang Wangi district police station. Shahrir is the secretary of
the University Students Anti-ISA Movement.

The seven students were arrested in June 2001 for
participating in a peaceful protest against the draconian
Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows indefinite detention
without trial. --AFP