Aceh authorities deny torture reports

BANDA ACEH, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam: Aceh civil emergency administrator Insp. Gen. Bahrumsyah Kasman has questioned the recent Human Rights Watch reports detailing the systematic abuse of Free Aceh Movement prisoners.

"They have just created a story which has not been verified yet," Bahrumsyah, who is also Aceh police chief, said on Thursday.

Bahrumsyah said police were ready to investigate the alleged violence against prisoners, provided the rights group formally asked them to do so. He said police would not give foreign observers or rights groups access to the province.

"It's totally wrong to interview prisoners who would just say bad things about security authorities," he said. -- JP