KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13, 2015:

Lawyer activist Eric Paulsen, who was remanded for two days since last night, is set to be released tomorrow.

The seven-man team representing Paulsen, led by PKR’s Sivarasa Rasiah, slammed police over how the investigations were being handled.

Apart from Paulsen’s handphone and laptop being taken by police, Sivarasa said police would also be searching for evidence at the Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) executive director’s house.

“This is an ill attempt by the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and an obvious misuse of power.

“They’re treating him like a criminal, like as though he robbed a bank, when all he did was tweet.” Sivarasa told reporters after attending a remand hearing at the Dang Wangi police station today.

Adding that there was no basis for the claims, Sivarasa said Paulsen was ready to defend himself should he be taken to court.

“His arrest is politically influenced and it is clear that it was an order from the higher-ups.” Sivarasa said.

Paulsen was arrested by police at 9pm yesterday to facilitate investigations into his controversial tweet on the Malaysia Islamic Development Department (Jakim).
LFL, in a tweet yesterday, said Paulsen was picked up by more than 20 policemen.

Paulsen had last Friday accused Jakim of spreading extremism every Friday via its prepared sermons.

This led to a police report, following public uproar, lodged by Umno Youth in Putrajaya.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had also called for a probe into Paulsen’s tweet.

Have something to add to this story? Let us know with a comment below.

Read more: http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2015/01/13/eric-paulsen-released-tomorrow/#ixzz3OgbQEvEG

Paulsen in two-day remand over Jakim tweet

BY MELATI A. JALIL

Published: 13 January 2015

Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) co-founder Eric Paulsen was arrested yesterday for accusing the Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) of spreading extremism through Friday sermons. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Mukhriz Hazim, January 13, 2015.

Police will remand Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) co-founder Eric Paulsen for two days after arresting him last night for accusing a federal Islamic authority of spreading extremism through Friday sermons.

One of his lawyers, Sivarasa Rasiah, said among the reasons police gave for the two-day remand were the need to take Paulsen’s fingerprints, his statement, and to search his home.

Sivarasa said the remand was unnecessary as Paulsen was being investigated over a tweet and could be charged immediately.

“Our argument is if police are of the opinion that his tweet was an offence, bring him to court,” Sivarasa said at a press conference at the Dang Wangi police station in Kuala Lumpur today.

Police had initially applied for a four-day remand but the court only gave a two-day remand order, Sivarasa added.

Besides Sivarasa, six other lawyers – N. Surendran, Latheefa Koya, Dheeraj Bhar, G. Sivamalar, Michelle Yesudas and Shahid Adli – were at the police station today.

They said Paulsen would be released tomorrow.

“His detention yesterday and today is an abuse of power by the police… because there is no grounds to hold him in the lockup.

“If they think his words were an offence, the A-G can charge him. It is unreasonable, against the law and an oppression against Eric.”

Sivarasa added that police could take Paulsen’s fingerprints and statement without having to remand him, as he would be going to the police headquarters in Bukit Aman for an interview tomorrow.

The directive to detain the human rights lawyer was influenced by politics and statements by the national leadership, Sivarasa said.

“To keep him in a lock-up, it is obvious that the directive was from the top management and influenced by political leadership,” he said referring to the statement made by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

“All this is obvious to influence the inspector-general of police (IGP) to take action.”

National news agency Bernama reported yesterday that Muhyiddin wanted police to act against Paulsen, and hours later, police moved to arrest him.

IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar had tweeted about the arrest and had gone on to post that Paulsen was “arrogant” while warning others not to collaborate with Paulsen in destroying Malaysia’s harmony. – January 13, 2015.

– See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/paulsen-in-two-day-remand-over-jakim-tweet#sthash.P7qfKlZz.dpuf

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/paulsen-in-two-day-remand-over-jakim-tweet