Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Indonesian Nationalist Students Movement (GMNI), branch office of East Nusa Tenggara Province (NTT), about a police officer brutally attacking one student activist. Yohanes Ndawa was beaten by police inside the security post of the local parliament office (Kantor DPRD), East Nusa Tenggara Province, while he was addressing the gathered activists. Instead of protecting the right to freedom of expression and opinion of the student activists, the police prefer to use a repressive approach to forcibly stop the protest and commit violence against the protesters. Yohanes Ndawa has filed a police report to ensure that the case will be investigated.
CASE NARRATIVE:
On 14 December 2017, hundreds of student activists of the Indonesian Nationalist Students Movement (GMNI) organized a peaceful public protest in front of the local parliament office (DPRD NTT). The students were protesting against the hospital’s waste management in Kupang city, which harms and endangers the local community.
According to the coordinator, Sumario Banta, the protest started at 9:50 a.m. from the old Undana building, Oepura, Kupang city. From there, approximately 120 student activists moved to the local parliament office. When they reached the front yard of the parliament office however, many police officers of Kupang City Police Office blocked the road and prohibited the students from entering the building. The police argued that all local parliament members are not in the office due to the break schedule, and most of the parliament members were visiting their respective constituents.
Knowing that the parliament members were unwilling to admit the student activists, the activists then proceeded to block the Eltari, Kupang city, in front of the local parliament office. Student leader Sumario tried to convince the police that if they were allowed to enter the parliament office, the students would obey the rule and security. In addition, Sumario also convinced that he had committed eight time lobbies to the police officers stood in front of the office, but the police refused to allow student activists to enter the parliament office.
Due to the police’s refusal to allow student activists to enter the parliament office, Sumario ordered the protesters to block the Eltari road in front of the parliament office. Then, one of the student activists, Yohanes Ndawa, walked to the fence near the parliament office, and requested the activists to continue the protest and ignore the police, because the parliament office is the house of the people. However, while Yohanes was speaking, suddenly the police hugged him with his elbows and dragged him into the security post. Inside the security post, Yohanes was put in the toilet and then repeatedly beaten by the police officers. As a result, Yohanes’ right shoulder bone was almost broken, and he was brought to the local hospital for medical treatment.
According to Yohanes, one of the police officers who attacked him is Vicky H, as per the name written on his uniform, from Kupang City Police Office (Polresta Kupang). Shortly thereafter, Yohanes filed a police report to the Regional Police Office (Kepolisian Daerah / Polda), East Nusa Tenggara Province (NTT) with the registered police report number STPL/40/XII/2017. The report was received by police investigator, Police Brigadier Stevan K. Otanu.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The video of the police violence against student activists in front of local parliament office, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province can be accessed here.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the authorities listed below, asking them to ensure that the government guarantees the right to freedom of expression and opinion, as well as the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, as regulated by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a State party. The Chief of National Police and the Chief Police of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province must ensure that allegations of abuse of power are promptly investigated without undue delay.
The AHRC will write a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression calling for his intervention into this matter.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ………………..,
INDONESIA: Student activist victim of brutal attack by police officer
Name of victims : Yohanes Ndawa (24), a student activist of the Indonesian Nationalist Students Movement (GMNI)
Names of alleged perpetrators : Vicky H, a police officer of Kupang City Police Office (Polresta Kota Kupang)
Date of incident : 14 December 2017
Place of incident : Jalan Eltari Kupang, in front of the local parliament (DPRD) of the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province, Indonesia
I am writing to voice my deep concern about a police officer brutally attacking one student activist. Yohanes Ndawa was beaten by police inside the security post of the local parliament office (Kantor DPRD), East Nusa Tenggara Province, while he was addressing the gathered activists. Instead of protecting the right to freedom of expression and opinion of the student activists, the police prefer to use a repressive approach to forcibly stop the protest and commit violence against the protesters. Yohanes Ndawa has filed a police report to ensure that the case will be investigated.
On 14 December 2017, hundreds of student activists of the Indonesian Nationalist Students Movement (GMNI) organized a peaceful public protest in front of the local parliament office (DPRD NTT). The students were protesting against the hospital’s waste management in Kupang city, which harms and endangers the local community.
According to the coordinator, Sumario Banta, the protest started at 9:50 a.m. from the old Undana building, Oepura, Kupang city. From there, approximately 120 student activists moved to the local parliament office. When they reached the front yard of the parliament office however, many police officers of Kupang City Police Office blocked the road and prohibited the students from entering the building. The police argued that all local parliament members are not in the office due to the break schedule, and most of the parliament members were visiting their respective constituents.
Knowing that the parliament members were unwilling to admit the student activists, the activists then proceeded to block the Eltari, Kupang city, in front of the local parliament office. Student leader Sumario tried to convince the police that if they were allowed to enter the parliament office, the students would obey the rule and security. In addition, Sumario also convinced that he had committed eight time lobbies to the police officers stood in front of the office, but the police refused to allow student activists to enter the parliament office.
Due to the police’s refusal to allow student activists to enter the parliament office, Sumario ordered the protesters to block the Eltari road in front of the parliament office. Then, one of the student activists, Yohanes Ndawa, walked to the fence near the parliament office, and requested the activists to continue the protest and ignore the police, because the parliament office is the house of the people. However, while Yohanes was speaking, suddenly the police hugged him with his elbows and dragged him into the security post. Inside the security post, Yohanes was put in the toilet and then repeatedly beaten by the police officers. As a result, Yohanes’ right shoulder bone was almost broken, and he was brought to the local hospital for medical treatment.
According to Yohanes, one of the police officers who attacked him is Vicky H, as per the name written on his uniform, from Kupang City Police Office (Polresta Kupang). Shortly thereafter, Yohanes filed a police report to the Regional Police Office (Kepolisian Daerah / Polda), East Nusa Tenggara Province (NTT) with the registered police report number STPL/40/XII/2017. The report was received by police investigator, Police Brigadier Stevan K. Otanu.
Therefore, I respectfully request you to ensure that the government guarantees the right to freedom of expression and opinion, as well as the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, as regulated by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a State party. The Chief of National Police and the Chief Police of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province must ensure that allegations of abuse of power are promptly investigated without undue delay.
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. General Pol. Drs. H.M. Tito Karnavian, M.A., Ph.D
Chief of National Police (KAPOLRI)
Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3 KebayoranBaru, Jakarta Selatan 12110
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 384 8537, 726 0306
Fax: +62 21 7220 669
E-mail: info@polri.go.id
5. Ms. Poengky Indarti
Commissioner of the National Police Commission
Jl. Tirtayasa VII No. 20
KebayoranBaru, Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 739 2315
Fax: +62 21 739 2352
E-mail: secretariat@kompolnas.go.id, skm@kompolnas.go.id
6. H. Bambang Soesatyo, S.E., M.B.A
Chairperson of the Commission III of The House of Representative
KetuaKomisi III DPR RI
Gedung Nusantara II DPR RI, Lt I
JalanJenderalGatotSubroto, Jakarta,
INDONESIA
Telp : +62 21 -5715566, +62 21-5715569, +62 21-5715864
Fax : +62 21 5715566
8. Mr. Abdul Haris Semendawai
Chairperson of the Agency for Victims and Witness Protection
Lembaga Perlindungan Saksi dan Korban (LPSK)
Jalan Raya Bogor KM. 24 No. 47-49, Susukan, Ciracas, RT.6/RW.1, Susukan, Ciracas, Kota Jakarta Timur, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 13750
Tel: +62 21 29681560
Fax: +62 21 29681551 / +62 21 29681557
9. Mr. Ahmad Taufan Damanik
Chairperson of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM)
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)
