Students ask police to release friends

Students ask police to release friends

JAKARTA: A number of students demanded on Monday that police
release eight of their colleagues under police detention
following their arrest on May 21 in front of the House of
Representatives and the People's Consultative Assembly.

"We demand that the police release our friends," said JJ
Armstrong Sembiring, a lawyer representing the student group
Students Action Front for Reform and Democracy (Famred).

Police arrested eight students during a rally on May 21 which
resulted in a clash between police and students.

Similarly, dozens of students of the University of Indonesia
staged a peaceful rally in front of the Jakarta Police
Headquarters to demand the release of the students.

"We also condemn the use of violence by police to quell the
rally which is against the freedom of expression," said Galih, a
protester. --JP.