Lawyers to report police to human rights commission

Lawyers to report police to human rights commission

Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Lawyers of defendant Gunawan Santosa intend to report the Jakarta
Police on Wednesday to the National Commission on Human Rights
(Komnas HAM) for the unjust treatment of their client.

Gunawan -- a murder defendant -- is shackled by the hands and
feet to the bedposts while receiving medical treatment at
Soekanto Police Hospital in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta. He is
being treated for a shooting wound in his midriff sustained in a
fight with a guard from the North Jakarta Prosecutor's Office,
according to the police.

"We have enough evidence to file a lawsuit against the poor
treatment but we will report the human rights violation to Komnas
HAM first," lawyer Alamsyah Hanafiah said on Tuesday.

Alamsyah has been trying to speak in person to Jakarta Police
chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara since Monday to request that
the police unshackle Gunawan.

"The chief, through his adjutant, said that Gunawan's
condition (of being shackled) was only a technical problem and I
should speak to his subordinates," he said.

"My client is not supposed to be investigated but to receive
medical treatment for his wounds. Why should he be chained to the
bed?"

The lawyers complained that not once during their visits to
the hospital since March 31 had they seen their client receive
medical treatment.

"On our last visit, Gunawan managed to talk quite clearly. He
denied that he possessed handcuffs and a Beretta pistol as
claimed by the police," Alamsyah said. "He also said 'how could I
escape as I was in detention?'"

Jakarta Police chief of detectives Sr. Comr. Mathius Salempang
said the lawyers should consult Central Jakarta Police detectives
concerning the shackles, since they were guarding the defendant.

Salempang only said that Gunawan would be questioned at the
city police headquarters as soon as his condition improved.

"But our officers at the hospital reported that every time the
officers ask Gunawan questions, he faints. Oddly, he can speak
long sentences to his lawyers," he said.

Gunawan has been charged with the premeditated murder of his
ex-wife's father, president director of PT Aneka Sarana Bakti
(Asaba) and his off-duty Army's Special Forces (Kopassus)
bodyguard.