Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that police officers of the Municipality Police (Polrestabes) and the Tamalate Police Sector (Polsek Tamatale) Makassar, South Sulawesi Province, have tortured to death Mr. Abdullah. For the last 6 days before his death, the victim was in a local hospital (RS Labuang Baji) in South Sulawesi Province. Due to the nature of the injuries suffered at the hands of the police, the victim passed away on 8 November 2015.
CASE NARRATIVE:
According to information received by the AHRC, Mr. Abdullah was arrested by police officers of Polrestabes Makasar, on 30 October 2015. The police accused him of stealing a motorcycle and a laptop. Subsequently, during the police examination process, the Mr. Abdullah was tortured. He was repeatedly beaten and slashed, as he refused to confess to having stolen the motorcycle and laptop. After being tortured by the police officers of Polrestabes Makassar, the victim was transferred to the Tamalate Police Sector and detained there in police custody.
After two weeks, Mr. Abdullah’s family was finally given access to visit him. Then the family requested the police for Mr. Abdullah to be allowed to go to a hospital, because his condition was poor and deteriorating.
When Mr. Abdullah was brought to the hospital, the family noticed he had serious injuries on the face, in the arm, and in the thigh, the wound seemingly caused by knife slashes. Finally, the family brought Mr. Abdullah to Haji Hospital (RS Haji), and the victim was hospitalized for two days there. However, Haji hospital does not have enough medical equipment, so Mr. Abdullah was transferred to Labuang Baji Hospital (RS Labuang Baji), and after being hospitalized for six days in the Labuang Baji Hospital, Mr. Abdullah passed away.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment still occurrs widely in Indonesia. Police officers are the main perpetrators of torture. However, the number of perpetrators is not equal to the number of perpetrators punished. In general, torturing officers are tried through internal police mechanisms, and, as a result, incidents of torture occur repetitively.
Though Indonesia is a state party to the International Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the government has not yet made any regulation for the prosecution of torture. In the past ten years, the Parliament has been drafting the revision of the Indonesian Penal Code and the Procedure of the Penal Code, but this work has still not shown any result.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the authorities listed below, asking them to ensure that the police officers be held accountable for torturing to death Mr. Abdullah
The AHRC is writing separate letters to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and the Special Rapporteur on Extra-judicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions, calling for their intervention into this matter.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ………………..,
INDONESIA: Forcing accused to confess, police torture him to death
Name of victim: Mr. Abdullah
Alleged perpetrators:
Police officers of Polrestabes Makassar, South Sulawesi Province
Police officers of Tamalate Police Sector (Polsek Tamatale), South Sulawesi
Date of incident: 30 October 2015
Place of incident: Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding Mr. Abdullah, who was arrested by police officers of Polrestabes Makasar, on 30 October 2015. I have learned that the police accused him of stealing a motorcycle and a laptop. Subsequently, during the police examination process, the Mr. Abdullah was tortured. He was repeatedly beaten and slashed, as he refused to confess to having stolen the motorcycle and laptop. According to the information I have received, after being tortured by the police officers of Polrestabes Makassar, the victim was transferred to the Tamalate Police Sector and detained there in police custody.
After two weeks, Mr. Abdullah’s family was finally given access to visit him. Then the family requested the police for Mr. Abdullah to be allowed to go to a hospital, because his condition was poor and deteriorating.
When Mr. Abdullah was brought to the hospital, the family noticed he had serious injuries on the face, in the arm, and in the thigh, the wound seemingly caused by knife slashes. Finally, the family brought Mr. Abdullah to Haji Hospital (RS Haji), and the victim was hospitalized for two days there. However, Haji hospital does not have enough medical equipment, so Mr. Abdullah was transferred to Labuang Baji Hospital (RS Labuang Baji), and after being hospitalized for six days in the Labuang Baji Hospital, Mr. Abdullah passed away.
Therefore, I respectfully request you to ensure that all of the police officers involved in the torture case of Mr. Abdullah be held accountable.
The Chief of National Police must ensure that the prosecution against the police officers involved in the torture is conducted under the standard of fair trial.
Moreover, the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) and The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) must conduct independent investigations to ensure that all police officers involved are prosecuted.
Lastly, the government has to provide adequate remedy for the family of the victim.
I look forward to your prompt action in this matter.
Yours Sincerely,
……………….
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Joko Widodo
President of the Republic of Indonesia
Jl. Veteran No. 16
Jakarta Pusat
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 3458 595
Fax: +62 21 3484 4759
E-mail: webmaster@setneg.go.id
2. Mr. Yasonna Laoly
Minister of Law and Human Rights
Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav. 6–7
Kuningan, Jakarta 12940
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 525 3006, 525 3889
Fax: +62 21 525 3095
3. Dr. Mualimin Abdi SH., MH
Director General of Human Rights
Office of the Director General of Human Rights
Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav. 6–7
Kuningan, Jakarta 12940
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 5253006
Fax: +62 21 5253095
4. Brigadier General. Arkian Lubis
Chief of South East Sulawesi Regional Police
Jl. DI Panjaitan Kendari, Sulawesi Tenggara
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 401 390303
Fax: +62 401 390303
5. General Badroedin Haiti
Chief of National Police (KAPOLRI)
Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3
Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta Selatan 12110
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 384 8537, 726 0306
Fax: +62 21 7220 669
E-mail: info@polri.go.id
6. Mr. Danang Girindrawardana
Chairperson of Ombudsman of Republic of Indonesia
Jl. HR. Rasuna Said Kav. C-19 Kuningan (Gedung Pengadilan TIPIKOR) Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 52960894/95
Fax: +62 21-52960904/05
7. Mr. Luhut Binsar Panjaitan
Chairperson National Police Commission
Jl. Tirtayasa VII No. 20
Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 739 2315
Fax: +62 21 739 2352
E-mail: secretariat@kompolnas.go.id, skm@kompolnas.go.id
8. Mr. Nur Kholis
Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission
Jl. Latuharhary No. 4-B
Jakarta 10310
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 392 5227-30
Fax: +62 21 392 5227
E-mail: info@komnas.go.id
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
