Idea to Shoot Street Robbers Dead: DPR Members Back It, Minister Pigai Opposes

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The idea of shooting street robbers dead has emerged from law enforcement and has drawn responses from members of the DPR up to the minister. Support and opposition have emerged. The Lampung Police Chief, Inspector General Helfi Assegaf, instructed police to shoot at the scene of the street robberies. ‘There is no tolerance for street robbers; I have ordered the police across all ranks to carry out shoot-to-kill at the scene for street robbers,’ Helfi said at a press conference at the Lampung Police Headquarters on Friday (15 May 2026). The director of LBH Bandar Lampung, Prabowo Pamungkas, assessed that the Lampung Polda’s instruction is problematic because it conflicts with the rule of law and human rights principles, and could perpetuate extrajudicial killings. Not limited to Lampung, reports of robberies that have claimed the lives of police officers, such as the death of Brigadier Arya Supena after being shot by a robber, have emerged from various regions. Moreover, Sahroni said that robberies are currently widespread in several areas, such as Makassar, Lampung, and Jakarta. ‘This is a concern because it is not confined to one area, for instance Makassar. I have already said that it should be addressed with shoot-at-sight,’ Sahroni told reporters at the DPR building in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday (18 May 2026). ‘But there are parties who resist, acting as though this is not good. This is very good because it provides a sense of security and comfort to citizens wherever they are,’ he explained. ‘Thus, I say that all regional police must handle this with firm action, namely shoot at the scene,’ Sahroni added. The Minister of Human Rights, Natalius Pigai, rejected the idea of directly shooting street robbers as ordered by the Lampung police chief. According to Pigai, the act of shooting to kill without due process contravenes the principles of human rights (HAM). ’I do not permit people to be shot without clear procedures and due process. Street robbers must not be shot dead at the scene. The words