Malaysian authorities detained dozens of Shiite Muslims in raids over the past week as they marked a major festival, sparking fears that the minority is facing growing persecution.
Malaysia has a Muslim majority but most follow Sunni Islam.
Shiites have long faced discrimination, with religious authorities considering them deviant and imams regularly denouncing them in sermons.
On Monday eight men were detained by religious authorities and police in southern Johor state during a Shiite event at a private residence, according to a participant.
"They used violence on us, some of us were handcuffed. They accused us of insulting Islam," cleric Hasan Askari told AFP on Wednesday.
On Friday religious officials and police in central Selangor state arrested 22 Shiites at a private property as they recited the Koran and hauled them in to give statements, according to cleric Kamil Zuhairi.
Religious authorities in Selangor confirmed the arrests and said it was because