Activists demand Rp 4b in damages from police

JAKARTA (JP): Four activists from the Agrarian Reform Consortium (KPA) have demanded Rp 4 billion in compensation from the Jakarta Police, claiming they had suffered from wrongful arrest and ill-treatment during a hunger strike in August.

The four, whose mysterious, brief disappearance led to the current complaint, have filed a pretrial motion with the South Jakarta District Court over police actions when they were protesting during a meeting of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) on Aug. 14.

The four -- Usep Setiawan, Anton Sulton, Idham Kurniawan and Mohamad Hafiz Azdam -- did not attend the hearing. They were represented by lawyers Johnson Panjaitan and Ecoline Situmorang.

The lawyers said in the Friday's hearing that the four were conducting a lawful protest when police forcibly removed them from the building.

The activists were calling for attention of the MPR and the public to various land conflicts.

Following arrest by the police they were missing for almost two weeks. When they reappeared they claimed they had been abducted, but they refused to cooperate with the police in investigating their claims.

The lawyers said as a result of the arrest and ill-treatment, their clients suffered material and punitive damages amounting to Rp 4 billion. They demanded the police restore their reputations through television, radio, newspaper and Internet advisories.

The Jakarta Police -- represented by lawyers Sr.Insp. Barnabas Imam Setyono, Sr.Insp. Lily Moelyanti and First Insp. Ahsanul Muqaffi -- rejected all accusations.

"Officers evacuated the activists with their consent," Barnabas said.

He also said the four activists did not have a permit to stage their protest as required under a 1998 law.

Judge Muchtar Ritonga adjourned the hearing until Monday. (01)