KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 19 -- The High Court has ruled that the police unlawfully arrested and detained lawyer Siti Kasim and her client, Anis Nur Izzaty Ruslan, during a late-night raid at Siti's home in June 2018, finding that officers had abused their powers and violated both women's constitutional rights.

According to Free Malaysia Today, Judicial Commissioner Arziah Apandi held that the police had no lawful basis to enter Siti's property, describing the raid as trespass and the subsequent arrests as an act of misfeasance in public office.

In delivering her grounds, Arziah said allegations that Siti had obstructed a public servant or committed kidnapping were unsupported in law, noting that Section 186 of the Penal Code requires physical...