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Komnas HAM to investigate Selatpanjang incident
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Selatpanjang riot: Angry residents of Selatpanjang come to protest at the Meranti Islands police precinct in Riau after a civilian, who allegedly killed a policeman the night before, died in custody. (tribunnews.com/Guruh Budi Wibowo)
T
he National Commission on Human Rights has scheduled a field investigation from Sept. 2 to 5 to probe possible human rights violations during a violent incident between residents and the police on Aug. 25 in Selatpanjang, Meranti Islands in Riau province.
“The monitoring and the investigation are part of an impartial and objective investigation into several Meranti Police officers who are implicated in the case,” Komnas HAM stated in a release made available on Wednesday. “They are suspected of committing a crime that caused the death of two civilians.”
Last week, hundreds of residents of Selatpanjang clashed with the police after the residents the death in custody of a civil servant, Apri Adi Pratama, 24.
Apri was arrested for allegedly stabbing to death a policeman, Brig. Adil S. Tambunan, in the parking lot of a hotel.
The residents swarmed the Meranti Police precinct and threw rocks at the building, causing police to fire a warning shot. One civilian reportedly died during the clash.
After questioning 38 Meranti Islands police officers in relation to the death of Apri, the Riau Police detained three on Tuesday.
National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said on Tuesday that the force would deal firmly with any police officers found guilty of excessive violence that caused the death of Apri. “Not only internal punishment awaits them. But also criminal charges,” he said.
Tito apologized to the people of Riau and thanked the community figures who had helped cool down the violent situation. (evi)
