March to Parliament over death of detainee in police custody

Noorizwan, 42, died in police custody on Oct 1 after being arrested on Sept 19. His detention followed investigations into drug possession, theft and a break-in. He was held at the Cheras police headquarters before being taken to HUKM on Sept 30.

Lawyers for Liberty is organising a march involving Noorizwan’s family, friends, civil society groups, lawyers and other Malaysians. It will begin at Taman Tugu at 10.30am and proceed to Parliament. The marchers will present MPs with a memorandum demanding accountability.

They are also seeking stronger action over the investigation. LFL wants the case classified as murder under Section 302, a special Bukit Aman team to take over, and the Attorney-General to intervene. The demands follow conflicting accounts about his injuries and cause of death.

To die in police custody means a person dies while detained by police or under police control. The person has not been released and may be held at a police station, transferred elsewhere, or receiving hospital treatment. In Noorizwan’s case, he was held at Cheras police headquarters before being taken to HUKM.

This status matters because a detainee cannot freely leave or independently protect their safety. That makes the circumstances of illness, injury and medical treatment especially important. Here, Noorizwan was arrested on Sept 19 and pronounced dead on Oct 1, after being taken to hospital the previous day.

A custody death therefore requires a clear account of what happened during detention. The article records disputed findings about injuries and cause of death. LFL is seeking accountability, while the police have ordered further investigation after identifying several unusual injuries.

Noorizwan was arrested on Sept 19 and died on Oct 1. That is a 12-day period between his arrest and death. The article says he was detained in connection with investigations into drug possession, theft and a break-in.

He was first held at the Cheras police headquarters. On Sept 30, one day before his death, he was taken to HUKM. He was pronounced dead there the following day. The article does not provide a more detailed timeline of his condition or treatment during detention.

By the time of the march announcement, more than three weeks had passed since his death. LFL said no police officer had been suspended or arrested. That delay is central to the campaign’s demand for accountability and a more serious investigation.

The police account and the hospital autopsy gave different descriptions of Noorizwan’s injuries. Bukit Aman said he had suffered external injuries but no internal bleeding. It also said the cause of death was still pending laboratory analysis.

LFL lawyers Rania Aljunied and Dina Zamri disputed that account. They said a HUKM pathologist found generalised bleeding in the brain and bleeding in the intestines. They further said the pathologist determined that Noorizwan died from blunt trauma to the head.

These differences explain why the case has become contested. LFL questioned why it remained classified as sudden death and asked for a murder investigation. Khalid Ismail later ordered Bukit Aman’s criminal investigation department to investigate, citing several unusual injuries on the detainee’s body.

Section 302 of the Penal Code is the provision used for murder. Classifying a death under it would signal that investigators are examining a possible unlawful killing, not only an unexplained or sudden death. That changes the central question from what medical event occurred to whether someone may be criminally responsible.

In this case, LFL points to the reported findings of brain and intestinal bleeding and blunt trauma to the head. Those findings could make the circumstances of death a major criminal-investigation issue. Investigators would need to test the medical evidence, detention records, witness accounts and other available evidence.

The article says the case remained classified as sudden death, while LFL urged a murder classification and a special Bukit Aman team. Khalid has ordered a criminal investigation, but the article does not say that Section 302 has been applied.

The police are responsible for investigating what happened during detention and identifying whether offences occurred. Khalid Ismail ordered Bukit Aman’s criminal investigation department to investigate after noting several unusual injuries. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also directed him to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation.

The Attorney-General is being asked to intervene and support a murder investigation. Parliament becomes a public accountability forum because marchers will deliver a memorandum to MPs. Civil society groups, lawyers, family members and friends bring the issue into public view and challenge official explanations.

These roles overlap but are not identical. Police gather and assess evidence. The Attorney-General provides legal oversight. MPs receive the demands and can scrutinise the issue politically. Civil society keeps attention on the case and presses institutions to explain decisions, including why the case remained classified as sudden death.

Independent investigations matter because a detainee is under state control and cannot freely explain or document events. A death in that setting creates a strong need to establish what happened, who was responsible and whether official procedures were followed. Transparent evidence lets families and the public understand the basis for conclusions.

The article gives a concrete reason for scrutiny: Bukit Aman reported external injuries but no internal bleeding, while LFL said a HUKM autopsy found bleeding in the brain and intestines. The lawyers also reported a finding of blunt trauma to the head. Such differences make medical evidence and investigative independence especially important.

Legal oversight can test whether the case classification matches the evidence. LFL asked the Attorney-General to intervene and called for a special Bukit Aman team. The police have now ordered an investigation, while the march seeks accountability from Parliament.