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Hundreds of women walk from Padang Merbok to Parliament to demand Maria Chin Abdullah's release, November 23, 2016. ― Picture by Saw Siow FengMore
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 23 ― More than 500 women marched to Parliament today demanding the immediate release of Bersih 2.0 chief Maria Chin Abdullah from her Security Offences (Special Measures) detention.
The women, led by individuals from various civil society organisations marched from Padang Merbok to the Parliament gates, while also calling for Sosma to be abolished.
Maria, 60, has spent the last five days in solitary confinement after she was arrested on November 18, on the eve of the Bersih 5 rally.
43 female activists signed a memorandum with the group's demands, which includes the return of items confiscated from Bersih"'s office by police during a raid on November 18.
A group of 30 activists were later allowed into the Parliament compound and handed their memorandum demanding Maria's release to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim.
“I can only receive the memorandum, I will pass it to the prime minister,” Shahidan said later.
The memorandum was addressed to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Among those who led the group was former Bersih 2.0 co-chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan.
