The (fatal shooting) case cannot be handled internally. Instead, it must be resolved through a law enforcement mechanism at a criminal courtJakarta (ANTARA) - National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) recommended a transparent trial at a criminal court over six FPI members' recent fatal shooting since the deaths of four of them were categorized as human rights violations.
"The (fatal shooting) case cannot be handled internally. Instead, it must be resolved through a law enforcement mechanism at a criminal court," the commission's head of the team of investigators, Choirul Anam, stated at a press conference here on Friday.
The commission revealed that the deaths of four of the six slain guards of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader, Habib Rizieq Shihab, in an encounter at KM 50 of the Jakarta-Cikampek Toll Road on December 7, 2020, constituted a violation of human rights.
Anam contended that the fatal shooting of the four FPI members were considered as human rights violations since the on-duty police officers had allegedly gunned them down without any other endeavor to prevent more fatalities.
Two other slain FPI members died as a result of a sideswipe collision between their car and the police vehicle on the road and an exchange of fire between them and the cops, he remarked.
Komnas HAM had identified executors of the slain FPI members, Anam stated, adding that the commission had recommended a comprehensive investigation to be conducted on the FPI members' alleged possession of handguns.
The commission further concluded that 18 gunshot wounds were found on the bodies of the FPI members -- Muhammad Reza (20), Muhammad Suci Khadavi (21), Faiz Ahmad Syukur (22), Lutfi Hakim (25), Ahmad Sofiyan (26), and Andi Oktiawan (33).
On the day of the incident, they were involved in securing a motorcade of the group's top leader, Habib Rizieq Shihab, from the Sentul area in Bogor District.
The commission's team of investigators also found facts collected from witnesses' accounts and outcomes of their analysis on CCTV cameras and recorded conversations that several cars had tailed Shihab's motorcade, starting from Sentul.
Two of the cars, identified as a black Avanza van, with registration license plate of B-1739-PWQ, and a silver Avanza van, with registration license plate of B-1278-KJD, were observed actively tailing the FPI leader's motorcade.
Owing to the Jakarta Metropolitan Police's denial that the two vans belonged to them, Komnas HAM recommended that the law enforcement agency conduct a thorough probe into matters related to the two cars.
On December 7, 2020, Jakarta Metropolitan Police Chief, Inspector General Fadil Imran, announced that on-duty police investigation officers had shot the six FPI members for attacking them.
The incident took place at 00:30 a.m. local time on Monday, December 7, 2020, on KM 50 of the Jakarta-Cikampek Toll Road, Imran informed.
At the time, the officers were probing information on a likely mobilization of masses for which Habib Rizieq Shihab was to be grilled by the Jakarta Police, he noted.
The Jakarta Police had summoned Shihab for allegedly violating COVID-19 health protocols during his daughter's wedding that coincided with the maulid, which marks the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, thereby leading to crowding.
"When officers of the Jakarta Metro Jaya Police followed vehicles suspected of carrying MRS (Muhammad Rizieq Shihab) followers, the officers' vehicle was intercepted and then attacked with firearms and sharp weapons," Imran stated.
However, the FPI rebuked claims that its members had attacked police officers on grounds that they were unarmed.
"FPI members do not have firearms. A shootout is impossible," Munarman, the general secretary of FPI, stated at a press conference.
Asserting that the fatal shooting was an extrajudicial killing, Munarman urged that an independent fact-finding team involving Komnas HAM be formed to uncover the truth behind the incident.
The day that Inspector General Fadil Imran announced the deaths of the guards, Komnas HAM formed a team of investigators to probe the fatal shooting.
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
