Arya News - At least one person died and 322 others were arrested after a protest in front of the Senayan Legislative Complex in Jakarta on Aug. 27, in which protesters from Pati, Central Java, called for stronger law enforcement against corruption.
JAKARTA – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) is examining the police handling of a recent protest in Jakarta that ended with clashes and left one dead amid concerns over the excessive use of force by security officers.
On Monday, the commission held a meeting with the National Police to discuss the aftermath of the protest on Aug. 27 that dragged out until early hours of the following day.
After the meeting, Komnas HAM chair Anis Hidayah said the commission would assess whether the police handling of the protests involved any human rights violations, including whether arrests and information-gathering mechanisms were free from torture and violence.
The investigation will include an assessment on the fulfillment of 15 elements of basic citizen’s rights, including equality before the law, protections for witnesses, suspects and victims, restorative justice for vulnerable groups and access to legal aid for arrested people.
Similar probes will also be extended to other law enforcement institutions, including the Attorney General’s Office and the Supreme Court.
“This is an important matter and has come to the commission’s attention, because freedom of expression is a constitutional right, where the state is obliged to ensure the respect, protection and fulfillment of that right,” Anis said.
The initial protest on Aug. 27 was organized by the United Pati People’s Alliance (AMPB) from Central Java in front of the Senayan Legislative Complex in Central Jakarta, where attendees called for the passage of an asset forfeiture bill and harsher punishment for corrupt officials.
The protest went peacefully until the group dispersed in the afternoon, followed by a wave of people who began burning trash and attempted to push through the Senayan complex perimeter. By 7 p.m., the police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.
The chaos, which spread to surrounding areas including nearby Slipi, resulted in the death of a mirror merchant Bambang Setiyawan, 60. He was found unconscious in Pejompongan. A student, Faturohman, 18, was also found with injuries from being beaten by unknown perpetrators.
Bambang’s death is under investigation by the Jakarta Police. Spokesperson Sr. Comr. Budi Hermanto denied providing updates on the case on Tuesday. He told The Jakarta Post the force would release official information about the case on Wednesday.
During Monday’s meeting, Anis also sought information on the progress of the investigation into Bambang’s death, with the commission’s support: “Those engaged in riots that caused loss of life must certainly be prosecuted in accordance with the laws to ensure justice for victims.”
The Jakarta Police also detained 322 individuals for allegedly causing unrest and damaging facilities. The police named 49, including five minors, as suspects in the unrest and released 273 others.
Civil group coalition the Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD) accused the police of excessive use of force in their crowd control measures by involving more than 18,000 personnel, water cannons, tear gas and tactical vehicles.
“The use of such equipment, in terms of both quantity and type, indicates the high level of security measures,” said Dimas Bagus Arya of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (Kontras), a member of TAUD, in a briefing on Monday.
The coalition also found that the protest was infiltrated by three unidentified groups allegedly deployed to cause unrest. One group was seen wearing white headbands and participating in patrols cracking down on protesters.
Deployment of such groups that conduct violent acts exacerbated horizontal conflict among the general public, said Gema Gita Persada of the Legal Aid Institute for the Press (LBH Pers).
“Instead of upholding law enforcement, the state has further weakened accountability mechanisms by deploying certain groups that cannot be held accountable,” Gema said.
Budi of Jakarta Police did not respond to requests for further comment. National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko was also not immediately available for comment.
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