Friends Of STAR

Several student activists at the Sultan Idris University of Education UPSI who held a peaceful demonstration demanding academic freedom were allegedly beaten up and arrested early this morning after refusing a police order to disperse.

Up to 17 were arrested by the police at about 2am said lawyer Fadiah Najwa Fikri. They were still being detained she added.

The Lawyers for Liberty coordinator said the police had acted in a heavy-handed manner against the students which resulted in one Muhammad Safwan Anang the president of undergraduate movement Gerakan Menuntut Kebebasan Akademic Bebas being sent to a hospital in Slim River after he lost consciousness.

"They were beaten up kicked and punched. According to an eyewitness Safwan lost some teeth " Fadiah Najwa told The Malaysian Insider over the phone.

Fadiah said she was not sure how many were involved in the beating of Safwan "but there were too many..."

She said the undergraduates whom she estimated to number about 60 had held a sit-down demonstration in the campus from midnight to protest the University and University Colleges Act UUCA and in solidarity of another student activist Adam Adli Abdul Halim.