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AKARTA: Members of veteran rock band Slank have turned to the Constitutional Court (MK) to exercise their constitutional rights after the police banned the band from performing on several occasions.

On Wednesday, the band filed a request for a judicial review against Article 15 paragraph 2 of the 2002 National Police Law, in conjunction with Article 510 of the Criminal Code, which grants the police authority to give permission to public festivities, as well as to monitor them.

“Since 2008, they have banned our gigs several times, but last year they canceled us over and over again, citing various reasons,” Slank guitarist Abdee Negara said on Wednesday.

“In some places, we can go to our gigs, but in others its uncertain. It violates our rights to freedom of expression.”

In November, the police banned the band from performing in the Soundrenaline 2012 concert at BSD City in South Tangerang, citing Slank’s “bad record” during performances that saw “many fans get involved in riots.”

Yet, other bands were allowed to perform at the concert. Abdee added that other concerts, including dangdut, could result in violence. A lawyer who represents Slank, Andi Muttaqien of the rights watchdog Elsam, said the article gave rise to legal uncertainties as “it provided no clear definition of activities involving a crowd.”

“If the police aren’t happy with the concert, they won’t give permission, it’s as simple as that,” he said. “In some cases, national security was used as a reason [for not allowing the band to perform]. This is just illogical,” Andi added.