HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER/PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE DENIED MEDICINE

Mr. Manfred Nowak
Special Rapporteur on Torture and other cruel, inhumane or Degrading treatment or Punishment
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais Wilson
52 rue des Pâquis
CH-1201 Geneva, Switzerland
Fax No : 00 44 22 917 9006

Dear Sir,

Re: HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER/PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE DENIED MEDICINE
P. UTHAYAKUMAR FORCED TO BE ADMITTED ON SERIOUS MEDICAL GROUNDS.

I wish to bring to your kind attention the fact that Mr. P. Uthayakumar is a Human rights Defender and a prisoner of Conscience detained by the Malaysian Government without trial since 13th December 2007 for his active involvement (legal advisor) in my movement which advocate the protection of serious violations of Human Rights involving the ethnic minority Indian community in Malaysia.

Mr.P.Uthayakumar is a diabetic and has been for the past 12 years. His medication amongst others includes Glucophage (850mg) and Diamicron.

He is now admitted at the Taiping General Hospital,Perak Malaysia for the below stated reasons:
sugar level at 18.8 , being three times more than the normal level of 6. This medically, is a dangerous situation and combined with other factors can cause serious harm.
Protein and Uric acid levels, also very high.

For the past month or so P. Uthayakumar had not been given the above medication although it was prescribed by doctors.

Mr Uthayakumar’s family members had handed the necessary medication to a prison officer Chief Inspector Ayob but they are now told those medicines “went missing”. A report was lodged to the Taiping Prisons director Mr.Yasuhimi but to no avail.

Last Thursday 13/03/2008 Mr. P. Uthayakumar’s lawyer Ms Santha Devi Velusamy handed over his diabetic medication to En. Shaharam a prisons officer but Mr.Uthayakumar never received the same. A request was made in writing to the Prison Director Mr. Yasuhimi on 17/03/2008 and still to no avail. Then on 18/03/2008 Mr Uthayakumar was referred to the prison’s clinic hospital assistant (H.A.) (and not a qualified doctor) who wanted our client to take some other medication. The said H.A. informed our client that the Prisons Director Mr. Yasuhimi refuses to hand over our client’s medication to our client.

P. Uthayakumar being a diabetic is not provided with a diabetic diet. He has no choice but to consume normal meals at the prison. The food prepared at the prison is quite often ‘Malay style’ and contains high sugar. It is a known fact that the Malay community consumes large amount of sugar in their diet.

He had made 6 written attempts to see the Director of Taiping Prison (Kem Tar) , about his much needed medication and diet. However the Director did not reply nor did he make any attempts to see him.
Further, attempts to provide the above medicine to P.Uthayakumar, by his lawyers and family was prohibited by the Prison authorities.

On the family visit to the hospital on 07/04/08, at 9pm, P.Uthayakumar looked very fragile and weak. He was hand-cuffed to the bed despite being very ill. The family were informed that he was not on any particular diabetic diet and was still being given rice and other sugar products for meals.
This is a serious violations of Mr.Uthayakumar’s right and is deliberately done to exert torture creual and inhumane punishment on him.

I now write to you to urgently make representations to the Malaysian Government to stop this treatment of the already defenceless Mr.Uthayakumar. Your prompt action would be greatly appreciated. Thanking you.

P. Waytha Moorthy
Chairman
HINDRAF + 44 7875653848