A total of 21 deaths in police custody were reported by the Criminal Investigation Unit on Deaths in Custody (USJKT) this year, according to a statement published by the human rights watchdog Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram).
The 14th and 15th deaths were both recorded in April, less than a week apart.
4 individuals also reportedly were killed in 10 incidents of police officers using their firearms while on duty, according to its Human Rights Overview Report on Malaysia 2022.
As per its report, “Custodial deaths in Malaysia remain prevalent in 2022 and details concerning them are frequently inadequate.”
The group also emphasised how the lack of information about the procedure and conclusion of each death in custody has hampered efforts by civil society to support the families’ pleas for an inquest or legal representation.
“It is nearly impossible for civil…