The legal measures that the Central Sulawesi police chief will take against his men who allegedly perpetrated the offense would be seen by the public as acts of professionalism and accountability, the commission's head, Dedi Askary, said. Askary on Tuesday received a report from the Coalition of the Anti-Violence Society coordinator containing the policemen's alleged acts of violence against journalists and students during the recent rally.
Speaking to journalists after receiving the report, Askary said the Central Sulawesi police chief needs to investigate the police officers responsible for managing the anti-riot policemen who allegedly beat up and stripped the protesting students.
The policemen who handled the student protest against the recent passing of the revised Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law and several controversial bills also allegedly forcibly confiscated the cameras of the journalists and deleted their footage.
Askary, however, did not disclose the identities of the students and journalists.
The rally that the university students in Palu staged on September 25 is just one of a series of student protests that occurred in various main cities across Indonesia in the past several days.
The policemen's acts of violence against journalists and students also happened in Makassar, the capital city of South Sulawesi Province, during a violent rally on September 24.
Three journalists sustained injuries, including Muh Darwin Fatir of Indonesia's national news agency, Antara, who was beaten on his head and kicked in the stomach by a policeman as proved by the visible shoe marks.
Meanwhile, the student protest in Kendari, the capital city of Southeast Sulawesi Province, on September 26, ended with the deaths of two local students.
They are Immawan Randi, a 21-year-old student of the University of Halu Oleo's Faculty of Marine Science and Fisheries, and Muh Yusuf Kardawi, a 19-year-old student of the University of Halu Oleo's diploma in engineering program.
In response to the students' deaths, Amnesty International Executive Director, Usman Hamid, urged the National Police to conduct a detailed, impartial probe into the case.
Hamid argued that the deaths of the demonstrating university students spoke of the gruesome reality that the tactics employed by the police against demonstrators offer no guarantee of their security.
Related news: ANTARA urges police to probe violence against journalist
Related news: Police to investigate violence against journalists
EDITED BY INE
Translator: Muhammad H, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
