KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23: Malaysian police arrested 12 ethnic Indian activists and family members, including a 7-year-old girl, when they tried to present a petition on Thursday at the prime minister’s office calling for the release of detainees held without charge under a tough security law.

The activists are members of the Hindu Rights Action Force, or Hindraf, which was banned by the government last week for allegedly inciting racial hatred, said S. Jayathas, a leader of the group and one of those arrested.

He said Hindraf chairman P. Wayatha Moorthy’s wife, 7-year-old daughter and sister were among those arrested. Moorthy lives in self-imposed exile in London.

Jayathas said the group went to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s office as “concerned citizens” to appeal for the release of all detainees held without trial under the Internal Security Act ahead of Diwali, the most important Hindu festival, on Oct 27.

“Police arrested us on grounds of illegal assembly,” Jayathas by phone from the police station.

“It is ridiculous. We are shocked and surprised. We were handing a (Diwali) appeal to ask for all Malaysians to be released from ISA so that they can be given legal justice. We were not demonstrating,” he said.—AP