The Bali Police have named two activists of the Balinese Forum Against Reclamation (ForBali) suspects for allegedly lowering the Indonesian flag at the Bali Legislative Council office on Aug. 25 during a rally against a planned reclamation project in Benoa Bay. Police accused the two activists of insulting the Red-and-White.

I Gusti Putu Dharmawijaya and I Made Joni were named suspects after they were allegedly involved in a rally that was attended by more than 10,000 people from the Balinese customary community and ForBali activists.

During the rally, the national flag was lowered and the ForBali flag was attached under it. Both the national flag and the ForBali flag were then raised together and all the protesters paid tribute to them.

More than 400 Balinese people from several customary villages across Bali flocked to the Bali Police station in Denpasar Wednesday night, following the arrest of Dharmawijaya. He was taken by the police from his workplace at a hotel in Legian Kuta on Wednesday night.

Wearing simple Balinese attire, the protesters shouted “Rakyat bersatu tak bisa dikalahkan!” (united people cannot be beaten down) and “Tolak reklamasi!” (reject reclamation). They demanded the Bali Police release Dharmawijaya. After several hours interrogation, police finally released him at about 2:35 a.m. on Thursday. However, police have continued proceeding with the case and have summoned Dharmawijaya for another interrogation on Thursday.

After answering 28 questions from the police and then being allowed to go home, Dharmawijaya said that he was shocked by the arrest. “I was shocked because they took me from my workplace without anyone showing a summons letter,” Dharmawijaya.

Dharmawijaya said he admitted that he was at the rally, but said he did not see the incident.

ForBali legal team leader, Made Suardana, said the arrest was an attempt to criminalize the actions of reclamation activists.

“The police report was made on Sept. 5 and within only two days, on Sept. 7, police named suspects. We don’t know who the witnesses were who had been questioned,” he said.

Bali Police chief Insp. Gen. Sugeng Priyanto denied the allegation that the arrests were part of police attempts to criminalize the activities of reclamation activists. “I emphasize that there is no attempt to criminalize them. We do not ban protests as long as they don’t disturb public order,” Sugeng said.

The police, he added, named the two activists suspects after questioning at least seven witnesses and two legal experts. Among the witnesses were police personnel and the security staff at the Bali Legislative Council office.

“We have questioned seven witness, including legal experts. We also have evidence: the video recording, the memory card and the flag,” he added.

He stressed that the rally on Aug. 25 received national media coverage, so he claimed many people were asking the Bali Police to follow up on the case.

“There was a high demand from people to follow up on this case. I predicted that there would be a reaction like this [rally], but the law must be upheld. What the Bali police has done is only for the sake of law enforcement. We have no other agenda,” he said.

“Bali is an international tourist destination. Let’s keep Bali peaceful, safe and prosperous. Don’t do anything that could hurt Bali’s image as an international tourist destination,” he said.

Police said they will charge the suspects under Articles 24 and 66 of the 2009 Law on the National Flag, Language, State Symbols and National Anthem, which carries a maximum five-year imprisonment or Rp 500 million (US$38,500) in fines upon a conviction.

Popular

Asia shares hit 15-month high as traders wait for CPI

Putin to visit Beijing, meet Xi this week

Is Indonesia really ready to embrace dual citizenship?