Bersih activist Wong, lawyers and protesters released

Malaysiakini reported that Wong Chin Huat, the Bersih activist, was released from police custody at 3.30pm at the Commercial Crimes Investigation Department (CCID) headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

His release came soon after five lawyers arrested during a candlelight vigil outside the Brickfields district police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur last night were freed at 2.50pm.

At about the same time of Wong's release, 15 other protestors who were arrested yesterday were also released at the Brickfields police station.

Wong was arrested on Wednesday night from his home in Taman Sri Sentosa in Kuala Lumpur under the Sedition Act.

It is believed he was arrested following a call he made urging the public to wear black to protest the ongoing political impasse in Perak at a Bersih press conference on Tuesday.

But Wong told reporters that he was informed that he was arrested following a police report lodged by Malay NGO Pewaris member Jais Abdul Karim on Monday.

He has been asked to report to the Jalan Duta courts on May 22. It is uncertain if he will be charged with any offence under the Sedition Act.

Meanwhile, the five lawyers have also been asked to report back at the Brickfields police station on May 22.

They are Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, Syuhaini Safwan, Puspawati Rosman, Ravinder Singh and Murnie Hidayah Anuar (photo left).

The five of them were arrested after they went to the police station to provide legal assistance to a group of the 14 protesters who were picked up for illegal assembly. Also arrested along with them was the Suara Keadilan Chinese version editor Law Teck Hao.

The 14 protesters and Law have also been released from the Brickfields police station at about 3.50pm. They were arrested after taking part in a vigil to protest the arrest of Wong.

And in Penang, Suaram activist Ng Eng Kiat, 25, who was arrested yesterday for taking part in a vigil in support of Wong was released this afternoon. He has been instructed to report back to the police in two weeks' time.

In Kuching, Joseph Tawie reports that Padungan state assemblyperson Dominique Ng, his wife Lim Phang Lian, and nine others were released at 2.30am on police bail after their statements were taken.