Chapter 2 - Report of the Complaints, Monitoring and Inquiries Group 2. If violations of human rights did occur, to determine: • How such violations came about • What administrative directives or procedures or arrangements contributed to such violations • Which person or agency was responsible for such violations; and 3. To recommend measures to ensure that such violations do not recur. (a) Public Hearings The Public Inquiry, which had commenced on 11 October 2011, was concluded on 17 April 2012. Sixteen hearings were conducted, recording testimony from 31 witnesses, of whom 14 were members of the public and 17 were from the relevant government agencies. The Panel also received 42 exhibits including medical reports, photographs and video recordings. It visited the Tung Shin Hospital, Chinese Maternity Hospital, Federal Hill and KL Sentral to obtain a better understanding of alleged incidents at those sites. As per the terms of reference, the report of the Panel was divided into two parts, looking at alleged infringement of human rights committed before and during the assembly. The full report has been published and is also available on the Commission’s website. A summary follows, outlining the testimony and findings on key complaints. (b) Alleged Infringement of Human Rights Before the Bersih 2.0 Assembly (i) The testimony Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan, the Chairman of Bersih 2.0, alleged that by virtue of her position she had received, prior to 9 July 2011, numerous threats including death threat(s) from unknown individual(s), as well as intimidation from parties including individuals, the police and several government leaders. Dato’ Ambiga alleged that media reports had portrayed her in the wrong context, thereby violating her privacy and threatening her safety, as well as that of her family-members. To support her claims, she cited several examples, including the broadcast of her home address by a local television station; threatening phone calls from unknown individual(s); and publication of inaccurate statements about her in the media. Dato’ Ambiga further testified that, as a result, she and her family-members had felt threatened and had feared for their safety. She eventually had to hire a bodyguard. Dato’ Ambiga further claimed that attempts were made by various parties including the mainstream media to smear her reputation and defame her. These efforts, according to her, not only affected her position as a leader of the movement, but also indirectly gave a negative perception of the planned Bersih 2.0 rally. In support of her allegations, she tendered 287 reports published by the media. 65