Police face lawsuit over nasty conduct<\/p>\n
Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
Two foreign women currently being detained in Aceh are planning
\nto sue security officials for the 'unpleasant' treatment they
\nreceived during their detention at a South Aceh police station,
\ntheir lawyer says.<\/p>\n
Lawyer Rufriadi said on Friday that police abused his clients
\n-- American health worker volunteer Joy Lee Sadler and British
\nacademic Lesley McCulloch -- by beating, threatening, and
\nharassing them.<\/p>\n
\"There are some bruises on their faces. The police punched
\nthem in the stomach, threatened them with swords, pointed a gun
\nat their heads, and yelled at them using abusive and dirty
\nlanguage,\" Rufriadi told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Rufriadi, who is also the director of the Banda Aceh Legal Aid
\nInstitute, had been asked by the U.S. and British Embassies in
\nJakarta to be the two women's lawyer.<\/p>\n
McCulloch denied police allegations that she brought pictures
\nand documents related to the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) activities,
\na secessionist movement that has been fighting for independence
\nsince the 1970s.<\/p>\n
Sadler also denied possessing any documents related to GAM.<\/p>\n
\"Despite the fact that we were not in possession of separatist
\ndocuments, information was released to the media by the police
\nstating that the discovery of such documentation was the basis of
\nour detention,\" Sadler said in a note obtained by Reuters.<\/p>\n
\"The police are now intent on uncovering proof of our intended
\nassociation with the separatists, but there is none,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The two, traveling on tourist visas, were arrested by the
\npolice on Sept. 11 along with their Acehnese translator when
\ntrying to pass a security check point at Keude Rundeng in South
\nKluet subdistrict, some 600 kilometers south of Banda Aceh, the
\nprovincial capital. The translator was later released.<\/p>\n
Aceh Police deputy spokesman Comr. Taufiq S. said on Friday
\nthat the suspects had the right to deny the charges.<\/p>\n
\"Police investigators have carried out their tasks based on
\nsolid facts and data,\" Taufik said.<\/p>\n
Taufiq said McCulloch and Sadler, based on the results of
\npreliminary investigations, were charged with visa abuse
\nas stipulated in Article 50 of Immigration Law No 9\/1999.<\/p>\n
If convicted, both face more than five years imprisonment and
\na fine of Rp 25 million (US$2,778).<\/p>\n
Taufiq insisted that security authorities found documents and
\nphotos about GAM's activities in their bags.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Army Chief Ryamizard Ryacudu said on the sidelines
\nof his three-day visit to Banda Aceh on Friday that the
\ngovernment should be more selective in granting visas to
\nforeigners wishing to travel to conflict areas.<\/p>\n
\"Foreigners are always involved in rebel activities here,\"
\nsaid Ryamizard, adding that authorities should be aware of
\nforeigners' presence in any conflict area.<\/p>\n
\"Why did they misuse their visa? If they are tourists, why did
\nthey go to Aceh? Did they want to see people at war?\" Ryamizard
\nasked.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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