Court rejects Bojong protest

BOGOR: The Cibinong District Court rejected on Monday claims filed by residents of Bojong, Klapanunggal, challenging the legality of detaining 19 villagers as suspects for a riot last month.

Presiding judge Marsudin Nainggolan said the court found the police's arrests were valid and rejected the request to release the 19 villagers.

The villagers were arrested during a violent protest against a trial of an incineration plant in the neighborhood. During the protests, police fired live ammunition into the crowd wounding six villagers, and later stormed residents' homes.

The villagers' lawyer, David Sitorus, said his clients did not accept the court's ruling.

"The court blames the residents for the disturbance, while the Police Disciplinary Committee has only issued administrative sanctions against six elite officers who were found guilty of violating the police code of conduct," he said. -- JP