Five policemen questioned for beating demonstrators<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The police admitted on Wednesday that some officers were out
\nof control when they beat and kicked students during Tuesday's
\ndemonstration to mark the fall of former authoritarian president
\nSoeharto.<\/p>\n
\"Yes, we admit that some police officers were out of control
\n(in beating and kicking the demonstrators) when dealing with the
\ndemonstration on Tuesday,\" City Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton
\nBachrul Alam told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Police officers, as public servants, should handle
\ndemonstrations in a less violent manner, Anton said.<\/p>\n
\"We've identified five officers who were out of control during
\nthe incident. They've been questioned by the Central Jakarta
\nPolice provost,\" Anton said.<\/p>\n
He refused to name them, but he said that if found guilty they
\nwould be punished according to the prevailing law.<\/p>\n
Clashes between police officers and at least 150 student
\ndemonstrators of Jarkot (Jakarta Network) occurred at two
\nlocations on Tuesday, namely Jl. Diponegoro, in front of Megaria
\ntheater in Central Jakarta and on Jl. Suwiryo, adjacent to Jl.
\nCendana, the residence of Soeharto in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The rally, which was organized to mark the fourth anniversary
\nof the fall of the former New Order authoritarian leader, was
\ntainted with violence after the demonstrators pelted the officers
\nwith Molotov cocktails, according to the police.<\/p>\n
The incident apparently provoked the police to take tough
\naction against the students. At least five were injured during
\nthe incident.<\/p>\n
Police detained 40 students for questioning and confiscated 17
\nMolotov cocktails and banners. Elsinta radio reported on Tuesday
\nevening that the beating and kicking of the demonstrators by
\npolice officers continued after their arrival at the City Police
\nheadquarters.<\/p>\n
The demonstrators are accused of opposing police officers on
\nduty. According to Article 214 of the Criminal Code, such a crime
\nis punishable by a maximum of seven years' imprisonment.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Jarkot spokesman Rey Christian said they were still
\nconsidering whether or not to take legal action against the
\npolice officers over the beating.<\/p>\n
\"We are undecided over the matter. We are still discussing it
\nwith the victims' families and our team of lawyers,\" said Rey.<\/p>\n
Reinhard Parapat, a lawyer of the Indonesian Legal Aid and
\nHuman Rights Association (PBHI) revealed that his team of lawyers
\nwould back the demonstrators should they file a complaint against
\nthe police officers over the beating and violence.<\/p>\n
\"We are determined to defend the students if they propose to
\nlodge a complaint over their \"barbaric\" treatment by police
\nofficers during the incident,\" Reinhard told the Post.<\/p>\n
Reinhard also denied that the seized Molotov cocktails
\nbelonged to the students. Instead, he alleged that they had been
\nplanted in the students' bags to justify the repressive action by
\nthe police.<\/p>\n
\"That's an old-fashioned way of justifying their action, to
\nclamp down violently on the students' peaceful rally,\" Reinhard
\nasserted.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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