Eurico sues police over arrest

JAKARTA (JP): East Timorese militia leader Eurico Guterres filed a lawsuit against the National Police on Tuesday over what he said was his wrongful arrest.

Suhardi Somomoeljono, one of the lawyers representing Eurico, said the police violated the law by arresting his client without first presenting an arrest warrant or telling him he was the subject of an ongoing investigation.

"The police breached Article 18 of the Code of Criminal Procedures, which obliges them to inform my client why the arrest was made and where the questioning would take place," Suhardi said upon filing the suit at the South Jakarta District Court.

Eurico was arrested at about 11 a.m. on Sept. 4 at his room in a hotel in Central Jakarta, where he was staying during a visit to the capital.

The police asked Eurico to come with them to police headquarters to discuss the East Timorese refugees in Atambua, East Nusa Tenggara, according to Suhardi.

"As soon as Eurico realized he had been arrested and would face the legal process, he called me.

"He was questioned twice during the day, with the (second round of) questioning ending at 11 p.m., while the police issued the arrest warrant at about 7:30 p.m.," Suhardi said.

Eurico was taken into custody by the National Police after the questioning.

The lawyer expressed hope the South Jakarta District Court would annul the arrest of his client.

"I hope the judges can see the irregularities and decide that my client should be released," he said. (bby)