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ights activists have criticized the excessive force used by the National Police in handling the nationwide rallies against the fuel-price hike, which has left dozens of protesters severely injured.

The Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI) said on Wednesday that the police could be blamed for causing injuries to more than 200 protesters in the past 10 days. “The police have used repressive measures in handling the demonstrations. Their actions included targeted arrests and torture, as well as severe beatings. They also went so far as to seize cameras from journalists,” YLBHI chairman Alvon Kurnia Palma said.

YLBHI’s headquarters in Central Jakarta, which also served as a base for student protesters, received a bomb threat from an unidentified caller on Tuesday.

Protesters from across the country have pledged to continue their opposition against the government’s plan to raise the prices of subsidized fuel. The House of Representatives is expected to approve the plan in a vote during a plenary session on Friday.

In Jakarta, street protests turned ugly when demonstrators tried to force their way into the State Palace but were restrained by riot police who responded with tear gas and water cannon. Riot police also set up an ambush in Gambir, Central Jakarta.

Senior human rights worker, Ratna Sarumpaet, accused police of orchestrating the attack.

“Everything happened quickly but orderly. I sensed that the police already knew the rally would turn violent, and suddenly dozens of officers appeared from inside [Gambir] train station,” she said.

The police arrested 31 protesters on Tuesday, all of whom have since been released following requests from their parents, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said. Among them is a student, identified only as A, who threw Molotov cocktails at a group of police officers during Tuesday’s mayhem.

Political analyst Burhanuddin Muhtadi also slammed the use of excessive force by the police.

“In South Korea and Japan, riot police only carry shields, because they face unarmed civilians,” he said.

House Deputy Speaker Pramono Anung, from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), also criticized the harsh treatment against journalists by members of the police force.

“I can understand if the police felt threatened by the presence of journalists. However, they should not have grabbed cameras, or any other equipment, from journalists on duty as they are protected by the Press Law.”

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution said that all personnel had acted in accordance with standard operating procedures when dealing with the protesters. “The operation was a success, considering one or two incidents bordered on anarchy. We adopted a soft approach in handling the protesters, actually. Officers on the front line, for example, were instructed not to carry assault rifles, whether loaded with rubber or live bullets,” he said.

The Jakarta Health Agency has said that the city will pay for all medical treatment given to those injured in Tuesday’s rally. “The injured will receive free medical treatment under the JPK-Gakin health care-subsidy program,” head of the agency, Dien Emmawati, said.

Andreas D. Arditya and Imam Mahditama contributed to this report. (sat)