Lawyer's arrest an insult to profession: PHBI

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) lodged a protest with Chief Justice Sarwata yesterday over the arrest of one of its lawyers on March 10.

Alexius Surya Tjahaya Tomu was arrested while providing legal assistance to the besieged organizers of the illegal Indonesian People's Summit at a North Jakarta hotel.

He was arrested along with eight other people that police believe were responsible for the political summit which was canceled at the request of hotel management because it had no permit.

The association's executive director, Hendardi, demanded in the letter, a copy of which was made available to The Jakarta Post, that the chief justice give due attention to Alexius' arrest.

"The chief justice should do something about the arbitrary arrest of Alexius," he said, adding that Alexius had flatly rejected to be questioned by police investigators on the grounds that his arrest was illegal.

Alexius is being detained at Jakarta Police Headquarters along with four others implicated at the summit: playwright Ratna Sarumpaet, Ging Ginanjar, Joel Thaher and Nandang Wirakusumah.

The other four arrested at Putri Duyung Hotel in Ancol, North Jakarta, have been released, including Ratna's 25-year-old daughter, Fathom Saulina, who was released on a conditional bond.

Those arrested have filed a pretrial law suit against the police for the arrests which they see as arbitrary.

North Jakarta District Court will issue its ruling today.

Hendardi maintained in his letter that a lawyer on duty was not liable to arrest.

"PBHI sent him to the summit venue because we had a strong feeling that it would be banned and its organizers arbitrarily arrested as has often happened to similar gatherings before."

The lawyer's arrest demonstrates that the police have no respect for a fellow law enforcer and that it is an insult to the profession, he said.

"It has stirred a feeling of insecurity among lawyers and further tainted the image of law enforcement in Indonesia."

Hendardi said the arrest also created a false impression in the public's mind that the improper use of power by government officials was acceptable unless the mistake was corrected. (pan)