Police Asked To Arrest All The Persecutors Of Tempo Journalists In Surabaya

SURABAYA - The Head of Advocacy Division for the Alliance for Anti-Violence Against Journalists, Fatkhul Khoir, has asked the East Java Regional Police to thoroughly investigate the case of the persecution of Tempo journalists in Surabaya. The police were asked to indiscriminately arrest all those involved.

"The perpetrators (of torture and torture) were around 10-15 people," said Fatkhul in Surabaya, Tuesday, March 30.

The case of the persecution of Tempo journalists is currently being handled by the East Java Regional Police. The latest development, said Fatkhul, the East Java Regional Police had held a pre-reconstruction program at the scene of the incident (TKP) of the persecution of journalists named Nurhadi, Monday, March 29.

Two of the 15 perpetrators brought in during the pre-construction, namely Purwanto and Firman, were police officers.

"Based on the victim's statement (Nurhadi), the other perpetrators involved in this persecution are thought to be around 10 to 15 people. Including the aide of Angin Prayitno Aji (former Director of Inspection at the Directorate General of Taxes at the Ministry of Finance)," he said.

The pre-reconstruction was led directly by the Director of the East Java Regional Police General Criminal Investigation, Kombes Totok Suharyanto. The two suspected perpetrators were brought in to be confronted, with Nurhadi's statement in the report.

"So in yesterday's pre-reconstruction, only two perpetrators were brought in by the police. Therefore, we urge the police to reveal the other actors involved, including the intellectual actors. All those involved must be tried according to the applicable law," said Fatkhul.

In the pre-reconstruction that was held, said Fatkhul, two perpetrators admitted to beating Nurhadi. The two also claimed to have brought Nurhadi to the Arcadia Hotel and pressed him not to publish any news whose information was obtained at the scene.

This, said Fatkhul, clearly violated Article 18 paragraph 1 of Law Number 40 of 1999 concerning the Press. Because the perpetrators deliberately took action that impeded press freedom.

"Both of them admitted that they had participated in the persecution. But based on the information from the victim, other perpetrators also carried out harsher torture, even throwing threats such as going to the emergency room or a grave ?," he said.

Kabareskrim Polri, Komjen Agus Andrianto, emphasized that he had reminded the East Java Regional Police Chief, Inspector General Nico Afinta, to fully handle the case of alleged violence against Tempo correspondent, Nurhadi.

"I have reminded the police chief to handle it well," said Komjen Agus, Monday, March 29.

Agus said that the reporting of cases of violence against Tempo journalists had been officially received by the East Java Regional Police. Report received by SPKT with Police Report Number: LP-B / 176 / III / RES.1.6 / 2021 / UM / SPKT Polda East Java.

The reported party in this case is Purwanto, who is suspected of being a member of the East Java Regional Police.

"The report at the East Java Regional Police (has been received)," he said.

The alleged violence case began when Nurhadi, a Tempo correspondent in Surabaya, East Java, was investigating a bribery case at the Directorate General of Taxes at the Ministry of Finance, on March 27.

At that time, officials related to the cases handled by the KPK were at the Samudra Bumimoro building. So, Nurhadi tried to get the explanation.

But suddenly a number of people approached the correspondent for Tempo. His cellphone was confiscated, and he was physically threatened. The victim also experienced violence.

After experiencing the violence, the victim was taken home at 01.10 WIB, Sunday, March 28