T

he Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) will close its legal aid service on Monday in order to attend the trial of two LBH Jakarta lawyers accused of disobeying police orders at a labor rally.

LBH Jakarta director Alghiffari Aqsa said that all LBH lawyers and staff would support the lawyers, Tigor Gemdita Hutapea and Obed Sakti Andre Dominika, at the first hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday.

'€œWe never close our office [on weekdays] but we'€™ll close on March 21 to support our lawyers in the courtroom,'€ Alghiffari said, adding that this move had been tough for LBH as it often received up to 15 new cases per day.

Tigor and Obed were arrested while documenting alleged violent acts committed by the police during a labor protest in front of the State Palace in October.

'€œIf they are found guilty, it will be a serious threat to the legal aid service. Lawyers will be discouraged from assisting the poor because they will be afraid of such criminalization,'€ Alghiffari said.

The institute described the case as criminalization because, under the Constitution, protests are legal and protected.

Tigor said that during the protest he had positioned himself at the nearest police station and had only approached protestors that had been arrested by the police.

'€œI was collecting the names of protestors that were arrested but then I was also attacked by the police. Obed took a photo of me being beaten by them,'€ Tigor said.

He added that the police asked Obed to delete the photo but he refused.

Both Tigor and Obed were taken to the Jakarta Police headquarters along with 23 workers and one university student.