Court to hear student's assault

JAKARTA (JP): National Police Spokesman Brig. Gen. Nurfaizi said yesterday that it should be left to the courts to decide the guilt of a student involved in a violent demonstration.

"Just wait and see in court. We hope the session will be held soon," Nurfaizi told 15 students who asked the police to release their friend, Amin Baharudin, who has been detained since June 4.

Nurfaizi received a statement yesterday from the students during a break in a hearing between the National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Dibyo Widodo and members of Commission III of the House of Representatives, responsible for law.

The statement demanded the release of Amin and the resignation of Central Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. Abubakar Nataprawira.

Abubakar said the students were overreacting and that the police submitted the dossier on Amin to the District Attorney on June 17.

"Amin Baharudin will be charged for fighting and injuring police officers," he told The Jakarta Post yesterday.

Nurfaizi promised that the police will investigate the allegations that police officers beat Amin in the preliminary interrogation.

On June 4, 200 students held a demonstration on Jl. Salemba, Central Jakarta as a show of solidarity for the deaths of three students who died during a demonstration in Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi.

Six students were arrested during the demonstration. Five were later freed. Dozens of student were injured in a stone-throwing incident in the demonstration. (jun)