Students unfurl a banner as they prepare to camp out at Dataran Merdeka, April 14, 2012. Occupy Dataran shares the same camp site. — File picKUALA LUMPUR, April 22 — Police have released Occupy Dataran activist Omar Mohd Azmi on bail, nearly 10 hours after arresting him today.

The Magistrates’ Court earlier this afternoon denied an application for a two-day remand order for Omar, detained for blocking a public servant from carrying out his official duty, and ordered the police to wrap up their investigations by today.

Lawyer Hasbeemasputra Abu Bakar, who was at the Dang Wangi district police station here the whole day, tweeted the news at about 6pm.

“[Omar] is requested to make an appearance at Jln Duta court tomorrow 9am. No charge so far, up to DPP to decide,” he added in a separate post on his Twitter account, @hasbeemasputra.

Omar and another Occupy Dataran activist, Fahmi Reza, were arrested by the police at about 8am today, hours after a royal concert celebrating the Sultan of Kedah’s installation as the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong last night and a week ahead of Bersih 3.0’s planned rally.

Both had camped at the historic square, the planned venue of the electoral watchdog sit-down protest against what they say is the government’s failure to reform election flaws next Saturday.

Lawyer Syahrezan Johan had told The Malaysian Insider earlier that Fahmi had been released at 3pm but Omar was then being questioned for alleged obstruction.

“Fahmi was released on police bail at about 3pm. He is being investigated under DBKL’s by-law. Omar is still held because he is being investigated under the Penal Code for obstructing a public officer on duty,” the head of the Malaysian Bar’s constitutional law committee said.

Section 186 of the Penal Code refers to a charge of obstructing a public servant in the discharge of his public functions.

The offence is punishable by imprisonment of up to two years, a fine of up to RM10,000, or both.

He added that under the law, the police may hold Omar for up to 24 hours, until 8am tomorrow, but the magistrate had “explicitly” ordered his release today.

Occupy Dataran’s stated aim is to reclaim public spaces for the purpose of promoting participatory democracy.