Police released 14 Mercu Buana University students Tuesday. They had been detained at city police headquarters for 15 days after staging protests against fuel price increases in two separate places last month.
The police arrested 12 students trying to redirect a passing fuel tanker on Jl. Meruya Selatan, West Jakarta, to the State Palace as part of their demonstration on May 20.
The police suspected the students threatened the driver, Sungkana, with burning the truck unless he followed their order to redirect his vehicle.
The two other students released were among eight students arrested during a clash with police officers in front of the State Palace the following day.
Head of the state security division at the city police Adj. Sr. Comr. Tornagogo Sihombing said the students' detention had been suspended to enable them to return to their studies and because the investigation was over.
"They will have an examination soon and their parents and rector have signed letters stating they guarantee the students won't run away," he said.
Sihombing said the students had to report to the city police headquarters twice a week for an unspecified amount of time, while the legal process was pending.
Seeing their 12 friends walking out of the detention center, some 20 students cheered happily and sang the Indonesian national anthem.
"I am very glad to be released. This proves we can still trust the law in this country," said Arif Setiadi, a student who was released.
The third year communication student said they were treated well while detained. He still intends to protest against the fuel price increases after he reunites with his family.
"It's because I believe I am struggling for the right thing," he said.
Another released student, Riki Silvester, said he and his friends were put in two cells, separated from other detainees, and were often visited by relatives and friends.
He questions the police for detaining him for so long, especially considering the tanker driver withdrew his report the day after he submitted it to the police.
"Reports saying we threatened the driver are not true. We never said we would burn the truck if he refused to go to the State Palace," the economics student said.
Currently, there are six university students detained at the city police headquarters.
South Jakarta Police released 31 students from the National University on Monday after they received assurance from parents, the rector and prominent figures, including the head of commission III at the House of the Representatives, Trimedya Panjaitan, that the students would not run away.
The students clashed with the police on the dawn of May 24 during their protest against the government's decision to raise fuel prices the previous day. (ind)
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