Activists demand Rp 4b in damages from police<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Four activists from the Agrarian Reform
\nConsortium (KPA) have demanded Rp 4 billion in compensation from
\nthe Jakarta Police, claiming they had suffered from wrongful
\narrest and ill-treatment during a hunger strike in August.<\/p>\n
The four, whose mysterious, brief disappearance led to the
\ncurrent complaint, have filed a pretrial motion with the South
\nJakarta District Court over police actions when they were
\nprotesting during a meeting of the People's Consultative Assembly
\n(MPR) on Aug. 14.<\/p>\n
The four -- Usep Setiawan, Anton Sulton, Idham Kurniawan and
\nMohamad Hafiz Azdam -- did not attend the hearing. They were
\nrepresented by lawyers Johnson Panjaitan and Ecoline Situmorang.<\/p>\n
The lawyers said in the Friday's hearing that the four were
\nconducting a lawful protest when police forcibly removed them
\nfrom the building.<\/p>\n
The activists were calling for attention of the MPR and the
\npublic to various land conflicts.<\/p>\n
Following arrest by the police they were missing for almost
\ntwo weeks. When they reappeared they claimed they had been
\nabducted, but they refused to cooperate with the police in
\ninvestigating their claims.<\/p>\n
The lawyers said as a result of the arrest and ill-treatment,
\ntheir clients suffered material and punitive damages amounting to
\nRp 4 billion. They demanded the police restore their reputations
\nthrough television, radio, newspaper and Internet advisories.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Police -- represented by lawyers Sr.Insp. Barnabas
\nImam Setyono, Sr.Insp. Lily Moelyanti and First Insp. Ahsanul
\nMuqaffi -- rejected all accusations.<\/p>\n
\"Officers evacuated the activists with their consent,\"
\nBarnabas said.<\/p>\n
He also said the four activists did not have a permit to stage
\ntheir protest as required under a 1998 law.<\/p>\n
Judge Muchtar Ritonga adjourned the hearing until Monday. (01)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/activists-demand-rp-4b-in-damages-from-police-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }