Journalist Rejects Mediation, Submits Names of Alleged Police Assailants
Rama Indra Surya Permana (28), a journalist in Surabaya who was the victim of alleged violence by Surabaya Police (Polrestabes) officers, has insisted on continuing the legal process and rejected any restorative justice or mediation with the suspected perpetrators. The affirmation was made by the Beritajatim journalist after undergoing an additional three-hour examination as the complainant at Polrestabes Surabaya on Thursday (11/6). “The legal process will continue,” said Rama after the examination.
The violence case began when Rama was covering a demonstration against the TNI Law in Surabaya on 24 March 2025. The victim was beaten by several individuals believed to be police officers, both in uniform and plainclothes. A report was filed on 25 March 2025. Evidence including a medical report, photo and video documentation of the suspected perpetrators, and witness statements from fellow journalists has been submitted to the police, but no significant progress had been made in handling the case.
Rama said today’s additional examination focused on several new clues that strengthen the alleged involvement of plainclothes police officers believed to be from Polrestabes Surabaya. “Overall, from start to finish it went smoothly, and for today’s additional examination, the substance was adding clues that also reinforce the connection of non-uniformed police officers to the Polrestabes Surabaya institution,” he said. Rama hopes this additional examination can shed light on the investigation of a case he reported one year and four months ago.
Meanwhile, the victim’s legal counsel from the East Java Journalists’ Advocate Committee (KAJ), Salawati Taher, said there were significant developments in this examination. She explained that investigators cross-checked video evidence previously submitted and the medical report on Rama. “The additional examination of the complainant, Mas Rama, and indeed the investigators had significant developments which we consider quite good and we appreciate, because today they cross-checked the videos we submitted as evidence and also cross-checked the medical report,” said Salawati.
Salawati added that during the examination, Rama also provided additional information in the form of names of police officers that had not been previously disclosed. She said this further strengthens the suspicion that the alleged perpetrators are members of Polrestabes Surabaya. “There was also additional information conveyed by Mas Rama, such as names, there were changes to the names of the police officers known at the time, one and two new names were mentioned, and this indicates and strengthens the conclusion that the suspected perpetrators, according to Mas Rama, are indeed members of Polrestabes Surabaya,” she explained.
On that occasion, Salawati said her team officially submitted a total of 19 pieces of evidence to investigators, including videos, photos, medical reports, and an audio recording. “We officially submitted 19 pieces of evidence including videos and one audio voice recording which we ultimately delivered today. Mas Rama decided to submit it officially to the police today to provide clues that indeed there is a connection, that members of Polrestabes Surabaya are indicated as the suspected perpetrators,” said Salawati.
In the submitted video evidence, coordination between uniformed officers and individuals believed to be plainclothes police or men in all-black attire who participated in the violence and seized Rama’s mobile phone is clearly visible at the time of the incident. “And in the video, a uniformed police officer is holding Mas Rama’s mobile phone that night. After it was seized by the plainclothes intelligence officer, it was handed over to the uniformed officer. And that is in the recording,” said Salawati.
Salawati is now awaiting the continuation of the case, as investigators have promised to hold a case review within this week or the next two weeks. “The next process, according to the investigator, will be a case review. Depending on the queue later. If the queue is not too crowded, it will be held next week. The investigator will present all the existing facts and said the results will be conveyed later,” she said.
Meanwhile, Polrestabes Surabaya Public Relations Head, AKP Hadi, acknowledged that the investigation into this violence case had been hampered because witnesses were considered unable to provide the perpetrator’s identity. “Regarding the identity of the reported person, based on witness statements, they could not clearly explain who committed the act, so investigators experienced difficulties due to the lack of evidence. According to witness statements, the reported person wore all-black or plainclothes attire,” said Hadi. Nevertheless, the police stated they will continue to pursue the case. Currently, the police are working to find evidence to identify the perpetrator before ultimately holding a case review to determine the next steps. “We are searching for evidence and identifying the reported person, interrogating the reported person, and holding a case review to provide legal certainty,” he concluded.