Komnas HAM Asks For Statements Of Witnesses And Victims Of Chaos In Semarang Demonstration

Illustration of Komnas HAM. (Between)

JAKARTA - The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) conducted an investigation into student demonstrations in front of the Semarang City DPRD which ended in chaos on August 26, 2024. "We went down to Semarang because there was a big action last August 26 which attracted national attention," said Komnas HAM Commissioner Saurlin Siagian in Semarang, Thursday, August 29, which was confiscated by Antara. According to him, about three days the team from Komnas HAM was in Semarang to collect evidence and ask for statements from witnesses and victims in the riot between the student and the police. In the investigation, he continued, Komnas HAM met with officials from the Central Java Regional Police, students, victims, the Head of the Central Java Education Office, to companions from community groups. In addition, he continued, the team also collected CCTV footage for analysis. He said the demonstration was an expression of freedom of expression that required state protection. "Submission of thoughts in public is guaranteed by law. This is a good thing for democracy," he said.

After the demonstration which ended in chaos yesterday, he asked not to let students who took action get intimidated. "Demo is something positive, therefore demo should not be a source of trauma," he said. Saurlin added that the results of the investigation would be analyzed before Komnas HAM finally gave a recommendation for the incident. Previously, the police forcibly dispersed the student action in front of the Semarang City DPRD Office on Monday, August 26 evening. There was a push between students and police officers on guard. In the action, the students damaged two gated office complexes in the same location as the Semarang Mayor's office. Police pushed the mass of students to the North on Jalan Pemuda using water cannon cars and tear gas shots.