The cages were discovered not long after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested the then-Langkat regent in mid-January for allegedly demanding kickbacks from private contractors in exchange for infrastructure projects.

The KPK and North Sumatra police found two iron-barred cages at Terbit’s house that held dozens of people and began a separate investigation into the matter.

Komnas HAM also launched its own probe after receiving reports that the people held in the cages had been tortured and forced to work.

According to the commission's report, Terbit had been keeping people in cages since 2010, claiming he was running a rehabilitation center for narcotics users.

“We found that there had been slavery-like practices that indicated that the victims had no power or control over themselves,” Komnas HAM Commissioner Choirul Anam said in a press conference on Wednesday.

The commission found that some 57 people were held in the two cells at the time of its discovery. Most were drug users, male and poor.

According to the North Sumatra Police, some 656 people had spent time in the cages since 2010, but Choirul said the number might not be definitive, as the commission had not been able to confirm the actual number of former detainees.

Choirul added that many of the victims were brought by their families, who were unable to deal with their drug addictions.

The victims were made to sign a letter bearing a stamp duty acknowledging that they would be “rehabilitated” at the inactive regent’s house.

Komnas HAM found that the cages had no proper bedding or sanitation and that no accepted drug rehabilitation methods were employed.

According to the victims’ testimonies, they were tortured in various ways with multiple pieces of equipment. 

The victims were forced to work – on palm oil plantations and performing other manual labor – under the threat of violence and were not compensated properly.

The commission found that some 19 people might have been involved in the caging and torturing of the victims, some of whom might have been police or military officers.

Choirul said up to 12 counts of various human rights violations had been recorded in the case, including violations of “the right to live”, as six or more people may have died in the camp.

The North Sumatra police have looked into three identified deaths so far and have exhumed two graves believed to be the remains of people who died in the cages. 

Komnas HAM commissioner Beka Ulung Hapsara recommended several steps be taken by the police, the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), the central government and regional administrations to prevent similar violations from occurring.

“First, the police, especially the North Sumatra police, must enforce the law, as not only criminal, but human rights violations have taken place,” Beka said.

He also urged the police to investigate the possibility of additional deaths and the possible involvement of police officers in the caging.

Beka also urged the BNN to thoroughly evaluate places claiming to be rehabilitation centers, as the one found in Langkat should not have existed in the first place.

Separately, North Sumatra Police spokesman Sri. Comr. Hadi Wahyudi said the police would continue their investigation into the two deaths, following the exhumation and identification of the victims.

The police spokesman added that Terbit could be named a suspect. No suspects have yet been named, but 70 witness have been questioned.