By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
Police required a female candlelit protester to take off her bra before confining her, a request condemned by human rights groups. Police, however, said it was aimed to keep the detainee from committing suicide during the confinement.
According to civic groups and police officials, Mapo Police Station in Seoul ordered a female protester in her mid-20s, who was seized while participating in a demonstration against resumption of U.S. beef imports on Saturday, to take off her bra before putting her into confinement.
Despite her strong refusal, police forced her to do it, citing a regulation that stipulates police keep detainees' private belongings to prevent them damaging themselves until their release.
Sohn Chang-bae, chief investigator at the police station, said, ``We confiscated her underwear just for fear of possible incident such as suicide by using the strings in it. In addition, she took it off on her own.''
Civic groups condemned the police move, claiming police overused their authority. They claimed that such requests should be made of more serious criminals rather than to those who violated the law on rallies.
A joint statement issued by eight human rights groups said, ``It apparently caused her sexual humiliation. It reflects such behavior violating human rights is still rampant among the police.''