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Air Force personnel accused of committing rights abuses
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Hundreds of journalists stage a peaceful rally to protest against violence against journalists in front of the Soewondo Air Force Base in Medan, North Sumatra. (JP/Apriadi Gunawan)
T
he National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) on Monday accused Air Force personnel of committing human rights abuses and violating the law during a violent incident involving residents and journalists in Sari Rejo, Medan, North Sumatra.
A three-day investigation that began on Aug. 18 found that Air Force personnel had committed assault, torture and destruction of public property, Komnas HAM commissioner Natalius Pigai said.
The investigation result also claimed that their acts were unconstitutional and violations of Law No. 34/2004 on the Indonesian Military (TNI) and Law No. 2/2002 on the National Police, Natalius said.
"The TNI should have asked for the police's assistance [to handle the protest], besides, the blockade took place at public access road to Polonia Airport, which is not within the military’s domain," Natalius said.
As they had damaged a mosque donation box and entered the house of worship with their shoes on, the personnel could face maximum sentences of four years’ imprisonment for religious defamation stipulated in Article 156 of the Criminal Code, Natalius said.
The rights body also deplored the assault on two journalists – Andri Syafrin of MNC TV and Array Agus of Tribun Medan – as they covered the clash.
Natalius asserted that the perpetrators should be immediately processed by the Military Court. (bbn)
