Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the tragic murder of Mr. Marino, a 38 year old farmer, by brigadier officers of the Sukoharjo Mobile Police Unit on 20 October 2006, at the home of his parents-in-law in the Sukoharjo district in the Surakarta region of Central Java.
On the date of the said incident, brigadier officers Sutrisno, Mulyono and Tupono were conducting raids on well-known local gambling haunts, when they spotted Mr. Marino transporting a diesel machine (which he used to irrigate his farm) by bicycle with his brother Widodo.
A local farmer and resident of the Muningan village in the Sukoharjo district, Mr. Marino had attended to irrigating his farm and was traveling to the home of his parents-in-law.
The officers in question, for reasons still unexplained, pursued Mr. Marino and his brother, following them to the home of Mr. Marino’s parents-in-law. There, the officers accused Mr. Marino of being involved in the local underground gambling scene; charges which Mr. Marino vehemently denied. Brigadier officer Sutrisno then fired a warning shot into the air, before shooting Mr. Marino. Mr. Marino was rushed to the nearest hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries a few hours later.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the relevant authorities listed below expressing your grave concern and ethical denunciation of the brutish display of complete disrespect and abuse of the law and due procedure demonstrated by the accused officers of the Sukoharjo Mobile Police Unit in their unwarranted pursuit, persecution and brutal murder of Mr. Marino.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
INDONESIA: Local farmer brutally gunned down by brigadier officers in a display of flagrant abuse of the law in Central Java
Name of victim: Mr. Marino; a 38 year-old rural farmer and resident of Muningan village in Sukoharjo district, Surakarta region of Central Java, Indonesia
Alleged perpetrators:
1. Brigadier Officer Sutrisno of the Sukoharjo Mobile Police Unit
2. Chief Brigadier Officer Tupono of the Sukoharjo Mobile Police Unit
3. Brigadier Officer Mulyono of the Sukoharjo Mobile Police Unit
Date of incident: 20 October 2006
Place of incident: Mr. Marino's parents-in-law's home in Sukoharjo district, Surakarta region of Central Java
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the tragic murder of Mr. Marino, a 38 year old farmer, by brigadier officers of the Sukoharjo Mobile Police Unit on the 20 October 2006, at the home of his parents-in-law in the Sukoharjo district in the Surakarta region of Central Java.
On the date of the said incident, brigadier officers Sutrisno, Mulyono and Tupono were conducting raids on well-known local gambling haunts, when they spotted Mr. Marino transporting a diesel machine (which he used to irrigate his farm) by bicycle with his brother Widodo. A local farmer and resident of the Muningan village in the Sukoharjo district, Mr. Marino had attended to irrigating his farm and was traveling to the home of his parents-in-law.
The officers in question, for reasons still unexplained, pursued Mr. Marino and his brother, following them to the home of Mr. Marino's parents-in-law. There, the officers accused Mr. Marino of being involved in the local underground gambling scene; charges which Mr. Marino vehemently denied. Brigadier officer Sutrisno then fired a warning shot into the air, before shooting Mr. Marino. Mr. Marino was rushed to the nearest hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries a few hours later.
I am deeply disturbed by the brutish behaviour and flagrant disrespect for and abuse of the law and due criminal protocol demonstrated by the accused officers in their unwarranted pursuit, persecution and cold-blooded murder of Mr. Marino. The pressing of charges against a civilian without the support of any substantial evidence whatsoever of that person's guilt is a clear violation of the most basic, yet fundamental principles of judicial procedure.
It is my understanding that the unwarranted accusation and subsequent killing of innocent civilians by police officers who are willing to name and shame a person whom they know to be innocent for the sake of concluding an investigation, has become somewhat of a routine practice in Indonesia. This is simply unacceptable of a state that was elected to the UN Human Rights Council in May of 2006.
Therefore, I strongly urge you to take immediate action in ensuring that an official disciplinary investigation be conducted against the accused officers of the Sukoharjo Mobile Police Unit, and that their duties be indefinitely suspended while the investigation is pending. It is the obligation of the State to apprehend and punish those state-officers who choose to subvert the law for their own personal gain and profit.
Moreover, the grieving family of the late Mr. Marino should be provided adequate compensation to support themselves during this hardship. As an elected member to the UN Human Rights Council, it should be made the primary priority of the Government of Indonesia to protect and uphold these fundamental human rights for its citizens, and to take immediate steps in protecting those of its citizens whose fundamental human rights have been violated- as is the case of the late Mr. Marino.
By doing so, the Government of indonesian will be sending the clear message that the abuse of the rule of law, be it by lay civilian or state agent, is not and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
I look forward to your prompt and effective response in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND COPIES TO:
1. Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudoyono
President
Republic of Indonesia
Presidential Palace
Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara
Jakarta Pusat 10010
INDONESIA
Tel: + 62 21 3845627 ext 1003
Fax: + 62 21 231 41 38, 345 2685, 345 7782
2. Gen. Sutanto
Chief of National Police
Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3
Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 721 8012
Fax: +62 21 720 7277
3. Mr. Abdul Rahman Saleh
Attorney General
Kejaksaan Agung RI
Jl. Sultan Hasanuddin No. 1
Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Tel: + 62 21 7221337, 7397602
Fax: + 62 21 7250213
4. Mr. Hamid Awaluddin
Minister of Justice and Human Rights
Uahi Utoyo Usman S.H.,
Menteri Kehkiman,
JI. H.R. Rosuna Said Kav. 6-7
Kuningan, Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Fax: +62 21 525 3095
5. Mr. Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara
Chairperson
KOMNAS HAM
Jl. Latuharhary No. 4B Menteng
Jakarta Pusat 10310
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 3925230
Fax: +62 21 3151042/3925227
6. Mr. Philip Alston
Special Rapporteur on Extra-judicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions
Attn: Lydie Ventre
Room 3-016
c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9155
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTN: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR EXECUTIONS)
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
