Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the malicious assault and public humiliation of Ms. Sugihart, a 31 year-old impoverished mother, by officers of the Municipal Administrative Police Unit (SATPOL PP) at the Menteng District Office in Jakarta, Indonesia on 5 September 2006. Ms. Sugiharti was arrested for a petty violation of the municipal regulations. However, this cannot justify the police’s illegal acts inflicted on Ms. Sugiharti.
Jakarta City Administrative and Police authorities had recently introduced a new regulation in attempts to reduce the heavy traffic congestion in the city-centre, which states that private cars are required to carry a minimum of at least three passengers when traveling on the major urban thoroughfares during peak traffic-hours. However, many drivers in Jakarta openly contested this regulation by hiring “jockeys”; young men and women who can be hired for a fee of a few thousand Rupiah (less than 1 USD) by drivers as a third passenger, thus enabling them to travel during peak traffic-hours, without having to pay the penalty fines for violation of this traffic regulation.
At the time of her arrest on 5 September 2006, Ms. Sugiharti, a known “jockey”, was waiting with her daughter Susan, at the junction of Jalan Imam Bonjol, in central Jakarta, for hire-jobs. But, the vehicle that stopped for her contained five SATPOL PP officers, who immediately and rather aggressively arrested and apprehended both mother and child. In this police crackdown, officials also arrested another eight male “jockeys”. According to Ms. Sugiharti’s testimony, the arresting officers behaved like violent drunkards; chasing the jockeys as if they were animals, before subjecting them to violent beatings.
Ms. Sugiharti, her daughter, and the eight other arrested jockeys were then taken to the Menteng District Office in central Jakarta, where it is alleged that several officers of SATPOL PP publicly ridiculed and assaulted Ms. Sugiharti, and the eight men, by shaving off all their hair as “punishment” for their profession as jockeys. Ms. Sugiharti’s four-year-old daughter, Susan, was also forced to witness this violation of her mother’s basic rights, and was verbally abused by one of the accused officers using harsh language, warning her not to become like her mother. Ms. Sugiharti was also slapped several times by the accused officers.
Ms. Sugiharti and her daughter were then detained for a period of nine days at the Kedoya Women’s Social Rehabilitation Center in West Jakarta. Upon her release on September 14, Ms. Sugiharti filed a formal complaint with the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) in Jakarta, where she removed her headscarf to reveal a mottled, bare scalp. In her complaint statement, Ms. Sugiharti says; I was shaved bald in front of my child. I did not have the power to resist. My child cried hysterically upon seeing her mother treated like that. My cheeks were also slapped
. In fact, my hair used to reach my shoulders. This is a matter of self-esteem. Im now embarrassed to socialize with my neighbours. She also reported her ill-treatment to the Jakarta Provincial Police.
Ms. Sugiharti went onto say that she worked as a jockey to make ends-meet for her family. These days, jockeys can earn up to an estimated 10,000 Rupiah (almost 2 USD) a day. The Administration Office of Jakarta utilizes municipal regulation No. 11/1988- or what is commonly known as the “rubber regulation”- in enforcing public order; which is often at the expense of the rights of the poorer locals in Jakarta. Ms. Sugiharti and her daughter Susan, live under a bridge at the city’s Cikini Railway Station.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the relevant authorities listed below, expressing your grave concern and ethical denunciation of the total abuse of state-appointed authority by the accused officers of the SATPOL PP in Jakarta, in the malicious abuse and ill-treatment of Ms. Sugiharti.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
INDONESIA: Assault of a mother of four-year-old daughter by the Jakarta police
Name of victim: Ms. Sugihart; 31-year-old impoverished mother of four-year-old child, and a "Jockey" (See explanation below).
Alleged perpetrators: Five officers of the Municipal Administrative Police Unit (SATPOL PP).
Date of incident: 5 September 2006
Place of incident: Menteng District Office, Central Jakarta, Indonesia
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the malicious assault and public humiliation of Ms.Sugiharti, a 31 year-old impoverished Mother, by officers of the Municipal Administrative Police Unit (SATPOL PP), at the Menteng District Office in Jakarta on 5 September 2006.
Jakarta City Administrative and Police authorities recently introduced a new regulation in attempts to reduce the heavy traffic congestion in the city-centre, which states that private cars are required to carry a minimum of at least three passengers when traveling on the major urban thoroughfares during peak traffic-hours. However, many drivers in Jakarta openly contested this regulation by hiring "jockeys"; young men and women who can be hired for a fee of a few thousand Rupiah (less than 1 USD) by drivers as a third passenger, thus enabling them to travel during peak traffic-hours, without having to pay the penalty fines for violation of this traffic regulation.
On 5 September 2006, five SATPOL PP officers arrested Ms. Sugiharti, a known "jockey", and her four-year-old daughter at the junction of Jalan Imam Bonjol, in central Jakarta. They also arrested another eight male "jockeys". In Ms. Sugihartis statement, they were violently beaten by the arresting officers during the process of arrest.
Ms. Sugiharti, her daughter, and the eight other arrested jockeys were then taken to the Menteng District Office in central Jakarta, where several officers of SATPOL PP publicly ridiculed and assaulted Ms. Sugiharti, and the eight men, by shaving off all their hair as "punishment" for their profession as jockeys. Ms. Sugiharti was also slapped several times on her face by the accused officers. Ms. Sugiharti and her daughter were then detained for a period of nine days at the Kedoya Womens Social Rehabilitation Center in West Jakarta.
Upon her release on 14 September 2006, Ms. Sugiharti filed a formal complaint with the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) in Jakarta, where she testified, I was shaved bald in front of my child. I did not have the power to resist. My child cried hysterically upon seeing her mother treated like that. My cheeks were also slapped. In fact, my hair used to reach my shoulders. This is a matter of self-esteem. Im now embarrassed to socialize with my neighbours. She reported her ill-treatment to the Jakarta Provincial Police. However, no serious action has been taken against the alleged perpetrators.
Ms. Sugiharti went onto say that she knows that working as a jockey is illegal but has few options to make ends-meet for her family. These days, jockeys can earn up to an estimated 10,000 Rupiah (almost 2 USD) a day. Ms. Sugiharti and her daughter Susan, live under a bridge at the city's Cikini Railway Station.
I understand that Ms. Sugiharti violated the municipal regulation and the police are responsible for enforcing the regulations. However, this cannot justify the ill-treatment, torture and public humiliation inflicted on Ms. Sugiharti by the SATPOL PP officers. I think for such petty crimes, punishment should not exceed a fine of some amount against violators. Also, flagrant violations by law enforcement officers such as that seen here should not be tolerated.
I therefore request you to order a proper investigation into Ms. Sugiharti's case, and to take proper disciplinary/prosecutory action against the accused officers of the SATPOL PP. In addition, adequate compensation should be paid to Ms. Sugiharti, without delay.
I look forward to your prompt and effective response in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTER TO:
1. Gen. Sutanto
Chief of National Police
Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3
Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 721 8012
Fax: +62 21 720 7277
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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
E-mail: info@komnasham.or.id
5. Prof. Manfred Nowak
Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture
Attn: Mr. Safir Syed
c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9230
Fax: +41 22 917 9016 (general)
Thank you.
Urgent Appeal Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
