As pressure mounts for murder probe, embattled police go after lawyers who exposed Noorizwan's injuries

Police have launched a criminal investigation into three lawyers representing the family of Noorizwan Zulkefly, the 42-year-old whose death in custody sparked public outrage following revelations of severe head trauma and other serious injuries.

Latheefa Koya, N Surendran and Wan Nabilah Dina Wan Zamri of Lawyers for Liberty (LFL), the rights body which first highlighted and demanded a murder investigation into Noorizwan's death, are being targeted in a new investigation for allegedly pressuring Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM) into revealing autopsy photographs.

Yesterday, the trio were questioned for three hours by Petaling Jaya police in an investigation for criminal intimidation.

"It is outrageous that the police have to date failed to either provide an explanation for the injuries sustained by Noorizwan or to arrest and charge any police officer for the crime. Instead, the police have expended enormous resources to investigate the lawyers appointed by the family of the deceased in order to obtain justice," said LFL director Rania Aljunied.

LFL said it was the legal right of Noorizwan's family and their lawyers to view photographs of his autopsy, which detailed 21 injuries, including extensive swelling and subcutaneous bleeding which point to severe beatings endured by the victim.

"The probe borders on the absurd because two high-ranking officers from Bukit Aman were also present at the meeting where the family and lawyers requested to be briefed on the details of Noorizwan’s injuries and to be shown the autopsy photographs, which was acceded to by the pathologist.

"It was critical for the family and lawyers to view the photographs in order to find out clearly the extent of the injuries suffered by Noorizwan," said LFL.

It comes just three days after Latheefa lodged a report against Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus over his statement, which she said was misleading and inaccurate about the death of Noorizwan.

Fadil had attempted to play down the injuries found on Noorizwan's body, saying it was normal for "minor injuries on a drug addict" to appear worse after death.

He also said the cause of death had yet to be confirmed pending a full report from the Chemistry Department, and that the case was being investigated as a sudden death, even as lawyers said the evidence points to murder.

Noorizwan was arrested and brought to the Cheras police headquarters on Sept 20, where he spent the next 10 days in the lock-up. The family said they were not informed of his arrest or whereabouts while he was held in custody.

At a press conference organised by LFL on Oct 7, his brother Nooranis said the family was only contacted by police at about 8pm on Oct 1, informing them that Noorizwan had died in police custody at 1.52am the same day, some 18 hours earlier, after he was brought to HUKM.

Surendran then demanded that the inspector-general of police and the government provide an explanation to both the family and the public.

"This is not acceptable in Malaysia in 2026. This is one of the worst deaths in police custody that I have seen in many years," he said, adding that only a high-level independent team from Bukit Aman should be involved in any police investigation.