The statement read out by Butet Kertaradjasa was issued by the coalition at the KPK office where some 100 anti-corruption activists had gathered to support the KPK following the arrest on Friday.
Among the activists were former deputy minister Denny Indrayana, artist Butet Kertaradjasa, Advocacy Director of LBH (Legal Aid Institute) Jakarta Bahrain, Kontras activist Haris Azhar, Emerson Yuntho of ICW (Indonesian Corruption Watch), Zainal Arifin Mochtar of the University of Gadjah Mada, "Salam Dua Jari" volunteer Fadjroel Rachman, Haridz Abbas of the Human Rights Commission, and philosophy lecturer Franz Magnis Suseno.
"The arbitrary arrest is an effort to delegitimize the KPKs authority in investigating the case of suspect Commissioner General Budi Gunawan," Kertaradjasa remarked.
The coalition issued three demands in the statement. Firstly, the National Police must release Bambang Widjojanto immediately, Franz Magnis stated.
"Secondly, President Joko Widodo must cancel the appointment of Commissioner General Budi Gunawan as national police chief and support the investigation by the KPK," noted Suciwati, the wife of the slain human rights activist Munir.
"Thirdly, inviting every Indonesian to defend the KPK. Do not let the KPK be surrounded and controlled by corruptors accomplices. Do not let Indonesia be controlled by corruptors mafia," Kertaradjasa revealed.
The anti-corruption activists congregated at the KPK building carrying banners that read, "Save KPK", "Save Indonesia", and "#I am KPK," among several others.
National Police spokesman Inspector General Ronny Sompie earlier noted that Widjojanto is not arrested but being questioned in a case concerning Kotawaringin Barats 2010 regional legislative election in Central Kalimantan.
Sompie, here on Friday, confirmed that the Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) had detained Widjojanto for questioning on Friday, at 7.30 a.m. local time, when he was driving his son to elementary school.
The Bareskrim named Widjojanto a suspect over a regional election dispute in 2010. He was charged for asking a witness to give false testimony at the Constitutional Court regarding the election dispute in Kotawaringin Barat, Central Kalimantan, when he was still a lawyer in 2010.
Sompie stated that the police received a report about the alleged false testimony only on Jan. 15, and it was corroborated by expert opinions and documents.
(Uu.001/INE/KR-BSR/H-YH)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
