Complaint on the Infringement by Police of the Human Righys of Cik Norizan Bt Salleh

The Facts

1. On 30.10.2009, 29 year old Norizan bt Salleh was shot 5 times by police.
2. Norizan was travelling in a car when the incident happened. Without justification, police shot at the car from behind, the bullets penetrating through the body of the car and hitting Norizan who was seated at the back seat.
3. After being shot, Norizan was then kicked and stepped on by the police personnel despite bleeding profusely from being shot.
4. No person in the car was armed with any firearm and there was no threat of any kind to the police. Despite this, police chose to open fire repeatedly at the car.
5. Norizan is an innocent woman who has never been charged in court for any crime. She has suffered serious injuries including permanent damage to her hand. A bullet lodged close to her heart had to be removed by surgery at Institute Jantung Negara. Miraculously, Norizan has survived to tell the public what happened to her.
6. Norizan lodged a police report on 16.11.2009 complaining of attempted murder by police, but no action has been taken by the authorities against any police officer involved in her wrongful shooting and beating.
7. One of the other occupants of the car has told lawyers of how he was tortured by police in an attempt to get him to confess that the occupants of the car were involved in robbery. He alleges that police hung him upside down and chilli powder was rubbed on his body.

The complaint

1. Neither Norizan, nor any of the other occupants of the car, were armed with any weapon capable of posing any threat to the life or safety of the police personnel pursuing them.
2. The discharge of firearms by the police at the car, was intended to kill or seriously injure the occupants therein and not to stop the vehicle and apprehend the occupants.
3. The use of excessive force and shooting to kill by police in this case, is consistent with many other cases documented by activists. In almost every case, the police version of the events has been similar; that the victims opened fire and police returned fire, killing all of them. It has been easy for police to get away with this version, as the victims are usually dead and the truth buried. This has also been the police version in two recent shooting cases. [Kulim shooting (February 2009) and Klang shooting (November 2009)].

WE, THE UNDERSIGNED

1. call upon Suhakam to institute an urgent public Inquiry into the shooting and beating of Norizan Salleh;
2. to advise the Government to take immediate steps to institute wide- ranging reforms in the police force and to implement fully the recommendations made by the Royal Police Commission.

Complaint filed by:

1. Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)
2. Democratic Action Parti (DAP)
3. Civil Liberties Malaysia
4. Police Watch & Human Rights Committee
5. Human Right Party (HRP)
6. Lawyers for Liberty