Police Name 45 Suspects in Jakarta Unrest

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Jakarta Metro Police have named 45 people as suspects following a riot after the protest in front of the parliament complex on Thursday, August 27.

The police’s director of General Crimes Investigation, Senior Commissioner Iman Imannudin, said the police have identified the suspects in six clusters.

“Based on evidence and witnesses gathered during the investigation, we have now named 45 people as suspects for vandalism and assault, and three as suspects for the misuse of sharp weapons,” Iman stated at a press conference in Jakarta on Friday.

He detailed that the first cluster comprises 153 minors (under 18 years old), who have been handed over to the Sub-Directorate for the Protection of Women and Children and Human Trafficking (PPA and TPPO) of the Jakarta Metro Police’s Criminal Investigation Directorate for further investigation.

“This group consisted of 25 school dropouts, two 12-year-olds, one 13-year-old, three 14-year-olds, 23 15-year-olds, 47 16-year-olds, 64 17-year-olds, and 10 18-year-olds, three of whom were girls,” explained Iman.

The second cluster included 91 adults categorized as ordinary rioters. Meanwhile, the third cluster consisted of 71 individuals suspected of vandalizing public facilities and assaulting people after the demonstration, of which 45 have been named suspects.

Furthermore, the fourth cluster included three individuals caught carrying sharp weapons during the riot, all of whom have been named suspects.

In addition to these four groups, investigators found evidence of a fifth cluster acting as mobilizers and financiers, and a sixth cluster tasked with recruiting the masses to instigate the riots.

“Investigators are also probing those who exploit children for illegal activities. This potentially violates the provisions of the Child Protection Law,” said Iman.

The suspects allegedly vandalized public facilities, assaulted people and property, committed group violence in public, sowed chaos, and carried sharp weapons.

Iman emphasized that the police continue to respect the public’s right to express their aspirations as long as it is done in an orderly, peaceful, and responsible manner without damaging public facilities or threatening public safety.

Read: Did Jakarta Protest Mass Arrest Violate Criminal Procedure Code?

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News