Last week, artist Amin Landak and activist Anna Har were questioned by the police over the animated short film “Chili Powder and Thinner” and their homes and office raided. This week, we saw four other activists summoned to the police station and questioned over the same film. The four-minute animation is based on a real experience of torture and deaths in police custody.
We see these investigations as attempts to silence criticism of the police and distract from public concern over the high number of allegations of abuse and deaths in police custody.
Deaths in custody have been a longstanding problem, with human rights organisation Suaram documenting at least eight publicly recorded cases in 2020, and at least 104 people having died in custody from 2011 to 2018. As of today, 12 people have already died under police custody in 2021.Yet, 16 years after the recommendation by a Royal Commission of Inquiry to establish an Independent Police Complaint and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), the government and the police continue to resist its formation.
Join us in our campaign to urge the authorities to face the allegations of torture and custodial deaths and end the harassment of those who speak out.
We will not be silenced.
We will not back down.
📢 This Saturday, on 10 July, from 8PM-10PM, we call on the public to watch or screen the film “Chili Powder and Thinner.”
✍️Sign the petition calling for the establishment of IPCMC & sign the open letter to the Inspector General of Police.
💭 Then, share your thoughts of the film on your social media platforms (Twitter, IG, Facebook, TikTok, etc) with the hashtag #IPCMCNow and #LawanIntimidasi.
Here are some guiding questions you can consider:
- Why do you think police brutality still happens?
- Who is holding the police accountable?
- Who do you think are affected the most by police brutality?
- How does one’s identity and social status affect the treatment one gets from the police?
- What can we do as a society to change this?