Police officers tried for assault
Police officers tried for assault
Urip Hudiono, Jakarta
Eight officers from the Central Jakarta Police's riot squad went
on trial on Monday on charges of assaulting students as they
staged a rally in February in front of the Supreme Court
building.
The defendants are First Privates Joko Prasetyo and Siswanto,
both 25, and Second Privates Ahmad Juli Nasution bin Muslim, 25,
Amin Septadi, 21, Dedi Yanto bin Ahmad, 22, Didik Kuncoro bin
Kusno, 23, Samri Simamora, 21, and Teguh Sukamto, 20.
Prosecutor Chaerul told the opening hearing at the Central
Jakarta District Court that the defendants had "disobeyed their
superior's orders to restrain themselves" when the demonstration
turned into an ugly melee between the students and the police.
"Witness testimony shows that the defendants also kept on
beating and kicking the students even after they were on the
ground," Chaerul said.
The officers are charged with violating Article 170 of the
Criminal Code on excessive use of force.
The article carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison
should death ensue.
The incident took place on Feb. 12 when some students staged
the initially peaceful rally to put pressure on the Supreme Court
not to acquit House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung in
a graft case.
Some 100 riot police officers were deployed to prevent the
students from entering the court grounds, and from clashing with
some 500 supporters of Akbar.
At about 3 p.m., the demonstration became violent when the
students tried to storm the building upon learning that the court
had let Akbar walk free.
Some 60 students were injured and had to be hospitalized, most
of them suffering from severe head wounds. At least one student
sustained a fractured skull, while several others suffered broken
arms and legs. Police claimed that 10 of the officers were
injured.
The injured students are to testify during the trial.
The presiding judge, Suripto, told the court, which in an
apparent show of force was packed with around 50 of the
defendants' colleagues, that the trial would resume on Aug. 18 to
hear witness testimony.